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A former minor-league outfielder in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system made his first college football appearance of the season in a New Year’s Six bowl game.
Cord Sandberg, a third-round pick in the 2013 Major League Baseball draft, entered Friday’s Citrus Bowl to play quarterback for the Auburn Tigers in place of the injured Bo Nix. Sandberg played two fourth-quarter snaps as the Tigers lost to Northwestern, 35-19.
He entered the game with Auburn trailing by a score of 28-13. Sandberg completed an eight-yard pass on his first play, before the Tigers fumbled on the next snap. Nix returned on the next possession and played the remainder of the game.
This was the fourth game of Sandberg’s career since committing to play for Auburn ahead of the 2018 season. He had reached Double-A Reading in the Phillies organization that year, but retired in July to play football.
Sandberg, who will turn 26 years old on Saturday, committed to play football at Mississippi State as a high schooler. He ultimately decided to enter the minor leagues after the Phillies drafted him as an 18-year-old.
Sandberg spent six seasons in the minor leagues. He batted .243 with an OPS of .646 across five levels.
