Auburn gets Vanderbilt at home Saturday, and the matchup comes with a little more edge than the records might suggest. The Tigers are 2-1 overall and 0-1 in SEC play, while Vanderbilt arrives at 3-0 for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on the SEC Network.
AL.com’s Auburn beat writers are again making weekly predictions on the upcoming game, and both see this one as a pivotal spot for Auburn.
Jerry Humphrey III has Auburn winning 31-21. In his view, the Tigers need to handle business against a Vanderbilt team missing Diego Pavia, because a loss would create “long-term issues for the football program.”
He also points out that this is Auburn’s final home game until the end of October, when LSU comes to town, and he notes that Auburn will “most likely lose” that one given the current state of the college football landscape. His bottom line is simple: if Auburn cannot take advantage of this version of Vanderbilt, Alex Golesh will face plenty of heat from fans on the Plains.
Peter Rauterkus is also backing Auburn, but by a slimmer margin, 31-24. He calls it a must-win game for Auburn, especially with the Tigers coming off a tough SEC-opening loss to Florida and staring down a brutal October stretch that includes road trips to Tennessee, Georgia and Ole Miss. Vanderbilt’s 3-0 start comes with an asterisk in his eyes after North Carolina State handed the Commodores a last-second win last Saturday, though he still describes Vanderbilt as talented.
Rauterkus also says Auburn is favored for a reason and sees this as a chance for the offense to finally break through. At the same time, he says the defense has to improve while dealing with Vanderbilt true freshman quarterback Jared Curtis, whom he calls very talented but inexperienced.
The question, as he frames it, is whether Curtis’ talent or his inexperience will be the difference. He expects a tight game, and his pick is Byrum Brown and the offense getting Auburn a needed win before the calendar flips.
In Other News...
Auburn Fans Have Reached A Boiling Point Over This Latest Misstep
Auburns latest off-field headache came in the form of a commemorative ticket for the Vanderbilt game, a small piece of memorabilia that instead managed to stir up a much bigger reaction. The athletic departments move was quickly criticized by fans who saw it as another money grab, and the timing did not help, with many already feeling squeezed by the broader economic climate and increasingly wary of how the program is asking them to keep paying up.
John Cohen has become the focus of plenty of that frustration, with supporters voicing concerns not just about pricing strategies but about a growing disconnect between the department and the traditional fan base. For a crowd already dealing with disappointment on the field, even a promotional misstep like this can land as another reminder that the relationship between Auburn and its most loyal followers feels strained in more than one way. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Captain Picks Say A Lot Before A Dangerous Vanderbilt Game
Auburns leadership group was set early this week as the Tigers named five captains for Saturdays SEC matchup with Vanderbilt at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Byrum Brown, Elijah Melendez, Cole Best, Cody Sigler and Sylvester Smith-Reed will represent a roster that has spread that responsibility around all season, with each of them having worn the captain label at least once already.
The timing matters, too, with Auburn trying to steady itself after the loss to Florida and turn the page quickly in conference play. With a 3:15 p.m. Central kickoff ahead, the captain selection offers a small but telling look at where the Tigers are leaning as they prepare for a game that feels like one they cannot afford to treat lightly. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Assistants Face Immediate Heat If Vanderbilt Exposes These Problems
Auburns coaching staff is already feeling the pressure after a shaky stretch that has fans looking hard at Alex Goleshs staff, especially defensive coordinator DJ Durkin and offensive line coach Tyler Hudanick. The concern has only grown because the defense was overwhelmed against Florida, giving up 495 yards, while the running game has still not matched expectations despite Auburn bringing back personnel that should have offered more stability.
Vanderbilt now gives the Tigers a quick chance to settle things down, and the stakes are simple for the assistants who have drawn the most scrutiny. If Auburns defense keeps leaking yards or the offense continues to stall on the ground, the dissatisfaction around the program is only going to get louder, putting even more immediate heat on a staff that already knows patience is thinning. [Read more 🡒]