Auburn vs Ole Miss Football
Auburn wide receiver D'haquille Williams celebrates the victory over Ole Miss at VaughtDHemingway Stadium in Oxford Miss., Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014. (Mark Almond/malmond@al.com)
AUBURN, Alabama -- Auburn receiver D'haquille Williams missed his second straight game with an injured knee, but his return for the Iron Bowl appears likely.
The junior receiver did not dress for Auburn's 31-7 victory against Samford, but is "ready" for action, according to a source close to the player. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn, however, is not yet ready to tip his hand and say Williams will be ready for the biggest game of the season.
No. 1 Alabama hosts No. 14 Auburn Saturday at 6:45 p.m. on ESPN.
"We are hoping he will be back this week," Malzahn said. "I am not ready to make that call yet, but we are hopeful."
Williams sprained the medial collateral ligament and suffered a bruised right knee when he was hit low by Texas A&M defensive back De'Vante Harris early in the second quarter of the Tigers' 41-38 loss to the Aggies on Nov. 8.
The first-year player out of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College leads Auburn with 38 catches for 609 yards and five touchdowns.