Will Auburn football’s Jaylin Simpson opt out or play in the bowl game?

Auburn’s football team is going bowling, having accomplished a major goal in the first year of head coach Hugh Freeze’s stay on the Plains. The Tigers will travel to Nashville, Tennessee, for the Transperfect Music City Bowl, which will be many Auburn players’ first actual bowl experience.

Following the conclusion of the 2023 regular season, Freeze expressed his thoughts on bowl opt-outs, stating that it is a new concept for him and something he will have to get used to. According to the Tigers’ head coach, opting out means deciding not to finish with your squad.

When asked if he would participate in the Music City Bowl later this month, veteran cornerback Jaylin Simpson responded bluntly via his personal Instagram story: “Yup.”

Simpson was one of the most vociferous players on the matter of bowl eligibility, claiming that obtaining bowl eligibility would allow for some sort of success in the 2023 season despite all of the losses. According to AL.com, his mid-season statements explain his decision:

“I simply enjoy playing football.” “I just want to play as many games as I can,” Simpson stated on October 24. “For me, I just want to go to a bowl game because I enjoy playing.” It’s just that if you don’t go to a bowl game, you have to sit and watch everyone else play.”

Simpson wanted to avoid sitting on the bench like he did last year, when the Tigers were eliminated from the playoffs after failing to reach the six-win mark and sacking former head coach Bryan Harsin.

While Simpson’s decision not to opt out was an easy one, his next big decision will have to be whether he would return for one more year of Auburn football on the Plains or declare for the NFL.