Auburn’s trip into Nashville this weekend comes with a clear challenge: Vanderbilt hasn’t lost yet, and the Commodores have already shown enough grit through their first three games to make this one more than a simple rebound spot for the Tigers.
That’s why Auburn fans should have a few names circled before kickoff.
The headliner is Diego Pavia Curtis, the quarterback who made waves when he flipped his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt this offseason. This will be his first SEC game against Auburn, and he arrives with a decent early-season line: 63.1% completions, just over 500 passing yards, and four touchdowns against two interceptions.
Curtis’ lack of SEC experience may be the opening Auburn can try to exploit. If the Tigers can slow down Vanderbilt’s run game early, they may be able to force the kind of pressure that exposes a young quarterback in this league. The SEC doesn’t exactly ease anyone in, and Auburn could end up being Curtis’ first real “welcome to college football” test.
The most dangerous pass-catching threat for Vanderbilt has been Sherrill. He ranks fourth in the SEC in receiving yards with 272, and he’s done it on only 15 catches, two fewer than both Keshaun Singleton and Chas Nimrod. The wrinkle for Auburn is that Sherrill has not been a steady touchdown producer, aside from the NC State game.
Those two scores against the Wolfpack are his only touchdowns of the season, which gives Auburn a real chance to keep him from changing the game through the air. If the Tigers can bottle up Curtis’ legs and keep Sherrill under wraps, Vanderbilt’s offense becomes a lot less comfortable.
Then there’s Rinaldi, a linebacker who brings the kind of all-around skill set that can wreck an offensive rhythm. Like Auburn’s Elijah Melendez, he can chase plays sideline to sideline, hold up in zone or man coverage, and get after the quarterback when needed. Through the season’s first stretch, he’s second on the team in tackles, first in sacks and first in pass deflections.
Rinaldi’s senior experience makes him even trickier to deal with. He’s not the kind of player you can easily shake with motion or a little eye candy before the snap. Auburn is going to have to be inventive on offense if it wants to work around him, and if it does, the rest of Vanderbilt’s defense should become easier to attack.
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Jared Curtis, Vanderbilt's freshman quarterback, is making his first road start, and Auburn coach Alex Golesh has already acknowledged both the talent Curtis brings and the aggressive edge of the Commodores' defense. For Auburn, that means preparing for a team that arrives unbeaten and capable of forcing the game into a fast, uncomfortable rhythm right in the middle of homecoming weekend. [Read more 🡒]