Penalty flags fly again against Auburn

AUBURN -- Auburn upped its SEC-worst penalty yards average with another night filled with flags.

The Tigers were called for eight penalties for 76 yards, including three against cornerback Jonathon Mincy for 36 yards, in their 31-7 win over Samford Saturday night.

"There were a couple that were unacceptable," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "Obviously, the one that I was most disappointed with was the unsportsmanlike -- that's uncalled for. There were a couple that were fairly close, but that is part of the game."

Auburn came in averaging 6.8 penalties for 69 yards per game, worst in the SEC and 110th nationally.

Mincy was called for a pair of pass interference penalties in the first half, the second advancing Samford into Auburn territory for an eventual touchdown.

The senior was called for a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during the third quarter.

"Just being overaggressive on a play. Playing over to the whistle, I'm getting blocked, trying to get off the block," Mincy said. "That's something he stressed to us the whole year. That's something I got to be accountable of and I got to take full responsibility."

Mincy had six tackles and an interception, his first of the season and second of his career, with 6:10 to play.

Malzahn was trying to focus more on the positive plays than the glaring mistakes of the senior corner.

"Mincy has been a guy that's done a lot of things for our program; done a lot of positive things," Malzahn said. "Tonight he did have the unsportsmanlike, that's the thing I was most disappointed in. We play press man sometimes the ball's in the air, they get tangled up and stuff like that, but Mincy is a senior that has made some good plays for us this year."