Auburn held an open viewing period for reporters Wednesday at its first practice in Nashville ahead of the Music City Bowl. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.

Auburn is using Vanderbilt’s football practice facility — which is not currently obstructed by any of the ongoing construction next door at the football stadium.

It was a largely light practice. Head coach Hugh Freeze has previously said he didn’t want to overwork his team in advance of the bowl game, and wanted the trip to Nashville to be more fun than grueling. He said he’s had his most success in previous bowl games when he had lighter practice schedules.

Freeze is 6-2 in bowl games as a head coach.

Here are a few notes from Auburn’s practice. Auburn also held an open viewing window on campus last Wednesday. This session at Vanderbilt was the second of two open periods ahead of the Music City Bowl.

– QB Payton Thorne is practicing and appears good to go. He missed all but one practice, according to Freeze, before Auburn’s team broke for Christmas because he had flu-like symptoms. Freeze said he believes there is a “run of sickness” running through the whole Auburn team ahead of the bowl game.

– C Avery Jones did not participate in practice. He was present, but wearing sweats off the side of the other offensive lineman

– Most of the remaining offensive line as the same as it has been for weeks. Connor Lew is still the center, a job that by this point he has appeared to earn for good. Jeremiah Wright and Kam Stutts rotated at the right guard spot while Gunner Britton played left guard. Izavion Miller was the right tackle and Dillon Wade was the left tackle.

– A growing group of signees in Auburn’s 2024 class are participating with the team. None of these players are allowed to play in the bowl game, but getting extra practices with Auburn and traveling with the team to its bowl game is a valuable experience. At this point, the group of signees practicing includes DT Malik Blocton, LBs Demarcus Riddick, Joe Phillips and DJ Barber, WR Bryce Cain and S Kaleb Harris

– Speaking of Blocton, his older brother and Auburn star defensive tackle Marcus Harris was present at practice despite opting out of the game. He was helping and supporting the remaining defensive lineman while in street clothes. Among those defensive linemen practicing was Justin Rogers, who accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine Bowl. Rogers does not appear to be opting out and because he is not required to enter the NFL Draft after the Shrine Bowl, could still return to Auburn next season.

– Jaylin Simpson and Zion Pucket are both off the NFL and practicing with Auburn too. Or, at least minimally. They were there and in pads. They didn’t do many drills. Same could be said for another Auburn veteran in Elijah McAllister. It appeared to get younger players some experience.

– So who is getting the benefit of Auburn resting some of its starters? Sophomore Caleb Wooden and freshman Terrance Love both played together at safety when Simpson and Puckett were off to the side. Both have received a lot of praise throughout bowl practices.

– Auburn doesn’t have many wide receivers available for the game — Jay Fair, Nick Mardner, Shane Hooks, Koy Moore, Caleb Burton and Camden Brown were all present at practice — but it appears generally healthy. It is helpful to have Cain joining in with practice to balance out some reps.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]