Auburn lands portal QB

Auburn may have just found its starting quarterback.

Michigan State transfer Payton Thorne announced his commitment to Auburn Friday, shortly after entering the portal earlier in the week. Thorne was one of two names circling around for Auburn at the quarterback position, with the other being Nebraska's Casey Thompson.

Now, Hugh Freeze has his portal quarterback.

Thorne brings an abundance of starting experience to the Plains after spending three seasons at Michigan State.

As a redshirt freshman, he started one game before taking over as the Spartans' starting quarterback for both the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Thorne finished his Michigan State career with a completion rate of 61% over 26 starts, passing for 49 touchdowns and having 24 passes intercepted.

Originally a three-star prospect out of high school, Thorne flipped his commitment from Western Michigan to Michigan State on early signing day, as part of the Spartan's 2019 recruiting class.

His breakout season came in 2021, his first full season as QB1 for Michigan State. He led the Spartans to a top-10 finish in the AP Poll and a Peach Bowl victory over Pittsburgh, going 11-2 as the starter. Thorne tossed 27 touchdowns — a single-season record at Michigan State — and had 10 passes intercepted that season.

In the following season, Thorne's numbers regressed.

Michigan State finished 5-7 and 3-6 in the Big 10, as Thorne tossed 19 touchdowns and had 11 passes intercepted. Following a 3,233 yards passing season a year prior, Thorne finished with 2,679 yards passing in 2022.

Auburn quarterbacks threw for 2,072 yards last season with a completion rate of 51.7% in 12 games. In both years as a starter, Thorne's completion rate has never dropped below 60%.

He'll compete with Robby Ashford and Holden Geriner for the Tigers' starting role when they take the field Sept. 2 against UMass in Auburn's season-opener.