The Auburn Tigers were confident that Eric Winters would rise to the occasion before he made the game-sealing tackle that rock Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday in Atlanta.
Winters' stop secured a 17-16 win over Baylor for the Tigers. DJ Lagway attempted to hit tight end Matthew Klopfenstein in the flat on the two-point conversion attempt, and Winters stuffed him at the goal-line to prevent the Bears from taking a late lead. It was a moment Alex Golesh felt was coming before it happened.
"We gave him the game ball, career high in tackles and finishing the way he finished, a little bit -- inside that locker room a little bit ironic because we literally just talked about it last night," Golesh said after the game. "I said you're going to make a play that makes a difference in this game. I just sense it. He certainly did. Pretty special for a young cat."
Golesh feels the defensive back is one of the more special players on Auburn's roster.
"He's special," said Golesh. "He really is. But he works like that. That's how he practices. That's how he comes in the building every day. It's the same person every day. For a guy in his second year, he's special. Like, what his mental is to just come in and go to work and try to lead. He's not very outspoken yet. I'm going to keep pressing him to be outspoken because the guys around him respect him. I told him last night in our team meeting, man, you're one of a couple guys that I cannot wait because of the off-season you had, because of the camp you had, I cannot wait to go see you play. I just told him."
Winters has also earned the trust and admiration of his teammates. Champ Anthony, a fellow Auburn defensive back, also spoke highly of Winters.
"Been saying it all fall camp, all spring, five the real," follow the real. " Anthony told reporters. "He just made a play. It wasn't even his, he just made a play. That's what real ballplayers do, man. That's one of them guys who's going to come here and lead the defense in the times coming and through the season."
It is back to the drawing board now for the Tigers. They will take on Southern Miss on Saturday.
