Report: Auburn's Howard, Hudson not with team after fight on plane

Auburn's flight to Houston reversed course Friday due to an incident between two Tigers players on the plane, sources told ESPN's Jeff Borzello.

Auburn freshman Jahki Howard and senior Ja'Heim Hudson were the two players involved in the altercation. When the plane returned to Alabama, Howard and Hudson were left behind and did not travel with the team for Saturday night's game against No. 4 Houston, according to CBS Sports' Matt Norlander.

Their status beyond this weekend is yet to be determined, per Norlander.

The flight had been en route for approximately 45 minutes before turning around, reports Field of 68's Jeff Goodman. The players reportedly didn't throw punches but got in each others' faces and yelled.

A pilot believed to be on Auburn's flight told air traffic control that there were "a bunch of basketball players fighting," according to audio obtained by Fox6 WBRC's Jonathan Hardison.

The audio also includes a pilot saying the threat level had been contained but that police would be responding when the plane landed. The pilot adds: "We had two players that got into a physical altercation, clothes were ripped."

The No. 11 Tigers are scheduled to play Houston on Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET before traveling home to host Kent State on Wednesday.