Auburn’s trip to Oxford comes with a pretty clear blueprint: get back to running the ball and keep Byrum Brown clean.
That formula got away from the Tigers in last weekend’s 38-17 loss at home to LSU, a game in which Auburn looked flat after its win over No. 1 Georgia in Athens.
Against the Tigers, LSU controlled the day and Auburn never really found a rhythm on offense. Now the challenge gets even steeper with No.
12 Ole Miss on deck, and ESPN’s FPI gives Auburn just a 25.1% chance to win.
If Auburn wants to improve those odds, the first fix has to be obvious. The Tigers ran the ball only 11 times with a running back against LSU, and that simply won’t cut it in SEC play. LSU bottled up the ground game and held Auburn to 67 rushing yards overall, with Jeremiah Cobb leading the backfield with just five carries for 14 yards.
That was a sharp drop from Cobb’s workload against Georgia, when he logged 13 carries for 61 yards. It wasn’t a dominant outing, but it at least forced Georgia to account for him and gave Auburn some balance. Against LSU, that part of the plan all but disappeared.
Without that threat, Auburn’s offense stalled. To have a real shot at Ole Miss, the Tigers need to reestablish the run with their backs, even if it’s only to force the defense to respect it. Doing that would also help open things up for Byrum Brown both as a runner and as a passer later in the game.
The other piece Auburn needs to keep doing is protecting the football. Brown had been turnover-prone earlier in the season, when he had seven interceptions and ranked near the top of the SEC in that category. But since the bye week, he’s gone two straight games against top-level opponents without throwing a pick.
That looks a lot more like the version of Brown Auburn knew at USF, where he was much more reliable with the ball. Even with pressure creating problems over the last two games, he has at least kept the Tigers from giving possessions away before a punt becomes necessary.
That matters a lot against a team like Ole Miss. Turnovers can tilt a game fast, and Auburn will need to be extra careful to avoid them. If Brown keeps this run going, the Tigers should be in better shape on that front as the season moves on.
In Other News...
Auburn Walks Into A Huge SEC Test With Ole Miss Suddenly Shorthanded
Auburns trip to Oxford brings a notable SEC matchup back into view, with the Tigers and Ole Miss meeting for the first time in three years. The timing matters for both sides, too, because Auburn is trying to build on a win over Georgia after a loss to LSU, while Ole Miss is navigating a change in its backfield heading into a game that already carries plenty of weight.
Kewan Lacy will be unavailable for the Rebels after suffering a dislocated shoulder against Texas, leaving Ole Miss with a hole it has to fill against an Auburn defense that will be keyed on Trinidad Chambliss. The Rebels quarterback has piled up 1,926 passing yards this season, so even with the backfield shorthanded, Auburn still has to deal with the part of the Ole Miss offense that can tilt the game fastest. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Could Be Getting A Needed O-Line Boost At The Right Time
Auburns offensive line might be getting some timely help as the season wears on, with head coach Alex Golesh saying sophomore Tai Buster could return to practice and play within a few weeks. Buster has been sidelined by a preseason injury, but he has stayed involved with the team during his recovery, keeping himself in the mix even while hes been unable to get back on the field.
For a line that always benefits from added depth, especially as the schedule tightens, Busters eventual return would give Auburn another option at a spot where bodies matter. He will miss the upcoming game against Ole Miss, but the possibility of getting him back later in the season gives the Tigers something worth watching beyond just the next matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns International Signee Saga Ends With Bigger Questions For The Program
Mantas Rubstavicius will not suit up for Auburn basketball this season after voluntarily dismissing his eligibility lawsuit against the NCAA, ending one of the more unusual roster stories the program has dealt with in recent months. The international signee is now expected to pursue a basketball opportunity in Europe, and he thanked Auburns administration, coach and teammates as the path with the Tigers came to a close.
The bigger issue for Auburn, though, may be what happens around the decision rather than the decision itself. The school also confirmed that general manager Brian Kloman was fired, with reports indicating the move stemmed from a failure to disclose Rubstavicius prior college enrollment overseas, leaving the program to sort through how such a significant oversight occurred in the first place. [Read more 🡒]