Payton Thorne Reportedly Wins Auburn's Starting QB Job over Robby Ashford

Former Michigan State signal-caller Payton Thorne has won Auburn's starting quarterback job over Robby Ashford, according to ESPN's Chris Low.

Thorne, who transferred from Michigan State after the 2022 season, will start the team's season opener on Sept. 2 against UMass.

Thorne's "leadership and efficiency throwing the ball were big factors in his winning the job at Auburn," sources told Low.

The 22-year-old was a two-year starter at Michigan State, where he put together his best season in 2021 when he completed 60.4 percent of his passes for 3,232 yards and 27 touchdowns against 10 interceptions in 13 games, in addition to rushing for 181 yards and four scores.

The Spartans finished the 2021 campaign with an 11-2 record and a win in the Peach Bowl.

During the 2022 season, Thorne completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 2,679 yards and 19 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 12 games. He also rushed for 42 yards and one score.

Coupled with Thorne's decline in performance, the Spartans finished 2022 with a 5-7 record and missed out on a bowl game for the second time in three seasons.

Ashford, meanwhile, transferred to Auburn from Oregon ahead of the 2022 season and he served as the Tigers' starting quarterback for much of the year. He was largely ineffective in the passing game, completing 49.2 percent of his passes for 1,613 yards and seven touchdowns against seven interceptions in 12 games.

Although Ashford was solid on the ground, rushing for 710 yards and seven scores, Auburn finished the 2022 campaign with a 5-7 record as the Tigers largely struggled to move the ball down the field with their aerial attack.

Thorne will be Auburn's fourth quarterback since 2021, joining Ashford, Bo Nix, who is now at Oregon, and TJ Finley, who is now at Texas State. If he struggles in the role to open the season, it's possible the Tigers could turn back to Ashford during the 2023 campaign.