Auburn gets Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday with a chance to bank another SEC win and keep moving toward bowl eligibility. And after looking at the ways the Tigers could get tripped up earlier in the week, there are just as many reasons to like Auburn in this one.
The cleanest edge starts up front. Auburn’s offensive line should have a friendlier afternoon than it has had against some of the SEC’s better fronts lately, and Arkansas doesn’t bring the kind of pass-rush pressure that has been causing Auburn problems.
The Razorbacks have generated just 61 pressures this season, according to Pro Football Focus data. That matters for an Auburn line that appears set to run back the same five from last week: Stanton Ramil at left tackle, Kenneth McManus at left guard, Cole Best at center, Jacobe’ Ward at right guard and Wilson Zierer at right tackle.
One name to monitor is Arkansas edge rusher Quincy Rhodes Jr., who was listed as questionable in Wednesday’s initial SEC Student-Athlete Availability Report. Rhodes leads the Razorbacks with 14 pressures.
Auburn also brings a more productive offense into the matchup. The Tigers are scoring 24.1 points per game and averaging 368.4 yards per game, both better than Arkansas, which sits at 19.6 points and 336.1 yards per game. The Razorbacks’ defense has been solid in the SEC rankings, checking in No. 10 in yards allowed and No. 13 in points allowed, but Auburn should still be dealing with a lighter assignment than it has in recent weeks after facing two of the conference’s top defenses over the last three games.
That lighter load could show up on third down, where Auburn has already been more efficient than Arkansas’ defense has been at getting stops. The Tigers converted 50% of their chances against Ole Miss last week, a step up from 31% against LSU in Week 8.
Overall, Auburn ranks No. 5 in the SEC in third-down conversions at 44%, while Arkansas allows opponents to convert 43% of the time. Keeping drives alive will be a big piece of Auburn’s path to a win.
The ground game is another spot where Auburn may finally get some traction. Byrum Brown has carried much of the rushing load in recent games, but Alex Golesh wants more from Jeremiah Cobb and Omar Mabson in the offense.
Saturday could be the opening for that to happen. Arkansas is giving up 153 rushing yards per game and has allowed exactly 138 yards to Missouri’s Jamal Roberts and Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop in its last two losses.
There’s also a little extra edge baked into this one. Auburn and Alex Golesh have some history to settle with Arkansas and Ryan Silverfield.
Auburn has dropped its last two games to Arkansas in Jordan-Hare Stadium, and Golesh is 0-3 all-time against Silverfield from their time as head coaches at USF and Memphis. That should be enough to keep the Tigers plenty motivated when the game kicks off on Saturday.
In Other News...
Auburns New-Look Roster Sent A Loud Message In The Opener
Auburns season opener offered an early glimpse of how different this roster can look, and the Tigers wasted little time making that point. In a 92-59 win over Southern Louisiana, Auburn piled up points, got balanced scoring from across the lineup and kept the pressure on defensively, continuing a trend of fast starts under this group.
Tahaad Pettiford set the tone with 18 points and four assists, while five Tigers finished in double figures and the defense swatted away 11 shots, led by Bukky Oboyes five blocks. It was the kind of opening-night performance that suggests Auburn has plenty of options on both ends, and the next test comes against Appalachian State on November 9. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns New-Look Roster Just Gave Fans A Reason To Believe
Auburns new season opened with the kind of balanced performance that can make an early November crowd start to lean forward. The Tigers rolled past Southeastern Louisiana 92-59 at Neville Arena, with five players reaching double figures and Tahaad Pettiford leading the way with 18 points. Auburn also controlled the glass with 50 rebounds and protected the rim with 11 blocks, signs of a roster that already looks comfortable playing with energy on both ends.
For a team trying to establish its identity right away, the opener offered plenty to like beyond the final margin. Auburn moved to 1-0 and now turns to a non-conference meeting with Appalachian State, where the next test will be whether this early balance and activity can carry over against a different kind of challenge. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns New Coach Has Extra Stakes In This SEC Reunion
The SECs latest coaching shuffle has created an unusual reunion for Auburns new staff, with several familiar names now working their way into the league from the American Conference. Jon Sumrall, Alex Golesh and Ryan Silverfield all made the leap, and for Auburn the most immediate intrigue comes from Goleshs path to the Plains after he was reportedly in the mix at Arkansas before landing in Auburn.
Now the story line gets even more interesting because Silverfield ended up taking the Arkansas job, setting up a matchup that carries more than the usual conference weight. Golesh will see his former American peer across the sideline, and Auburn has a front-row seat to a coaching race that has already reshaped part of the SEC landscape. [Read more 🡒]