AUBURN | With Zion Puckett sidelined with an injury, Auburn needed someone to step up at the safety position.

Ladarius Tennison did just that and more in the Tigers game at Texas A&M finishing with a career-high eight tackles and 1.0 tackle-for-loss.

“He came out tonight and had a tremendous game -- flying around the field, just making big-time plays in the open field,” said linebacker Chandler Wooten after the game. “He just played lights out tonight. He'll continue to be a force for us.”

PFF rated Tennison the highest of Auburn’s defenders with a 76.9 defensive grade in just 26 snaps. It was his second start of the season after starting two games last season.

The sophomore also participates on a number of AU’s special teams.

“Tennison played hard. He did some really good things,” said Auburn coach Bryan Harsin. “He had the penalty on special teams that he shouldn’t have hit the returner. We had great field position. Other than that, he ran down, made a great play on kickoff—he and Shaun Shivers, so two guys running down that tackled the returner at the 10-yard line. Tennison had a great play, they threw a little bob screen, a bubble screen out to the right, and he goes right around the blockers, makes the tackle.

“He showed he can play physical. He showed he can play fast. He showed that he’s going to go out there and be a guy that gives great effort. We clean up a couple decisions that he had, but when you’re playing hard like that, sometimes things happen. I’ll take the relentless effort from a guy out there playing fast, and he did a good job stepping up.”

No. 16 Auburn hosts Mississippi State Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.