According to a report published on ESPN’s Web site, head football coach Gary Patterson is meeting with Auburn University director of athletics Jay Jacobs about the Tigers’ open head coaching job Thursday.

Neither TCU director of athletics Danny Morrison nor Jacobs could be reached for comment.

But according to the secretary in Patterson’s office, the coach has been in town all day and attended a luncheon Thursday.

However, the coach may have met with Jacobs in person in Fort Worth Thursday.

According to a report on the Opelika-Auburn News Web site, Jacobs and associate athletic directors Mark Richards and Tim Jackson boarded a flight to Fort Worth at 4:44 a.m. CDT and landed back in Auburn at 4:55 p.m. CDT.

Patterson said after practice Wednesday how much it means to him that TCU has been loyal to him over the past decade.

“Well, hopefully it means that TCU knows that I’ve been loyal. I love Fort Worth, and I like TCU and I had an opportunity to be a part of something that I’ve seen grow and it’s special,” Patterson said. “This is a great place. Some of the things we’ve been able to accomplish in those 11 years has been a lot of fun.”

ESPN’s story, published at 1:49 p.m. Thursday, reports that Jacobs has interviewed University of Tulsa head coach Todd Graham, Ball State University’s head coach Brady Hoke, University at Buffalo head coach Turner Gill, Louisiana Tech University head coach Derek Dooley, University of Georgia assistant coach Rodney Garner and University of Miami offensive coordinator Patrick Nix.

Garner and Nix both played at Auburn.

The San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl would be Patterson’s 100th game as head coach for the Frogs. In his first 99 games, Patterson has a record of 72-27.