Sylvester Smith laid the boom to Ball State after being challenged by Auburn's coaching staff

When Sylvester Smith woke up on Saturday before Auburn took on Ball State, the sophomore might have gotten out of bed with a chip on his shoulder.

It seemed that way as the safety made sure his name was known during the Tigers' 42-3 victory over the Cardinals, recording a career-high six tackles while bringing the punch to an Auburn defense that allowed just 68 total yards.

The performance came after he struggled a bit in the season-opening win against Baylor.

“It was really nice to see because we challenged him pretty good after the Baylor game," Hugh Freeze said. 'I know his snaps may not be significant from the past years, but he has some experience we need to be a voice back there to settle us down if we are creating some bust on our own. We need him to lead, and I thought he responded to our challenge very well and played a really solid football game.

On a 3rd-and-goal play in the third quarter and the Cardinals threatening to get into the end zone, the Munford, Ala., native saw exactly where the pass was going and lowered the boom immediately after the receiver caught the ball.

It was one of the moments that Auburn had been waiting for from Smith since he arrived in 2023.

"He played physical and tackled well, and his MAs (missed assignments) were way down, so I'm really proud of him," Freeze said. "He's worked hard for this opportunity, and hopefully he can continue to build upon last week.”