Auburn’s defense walked out of last week’s Georgia game with a signature performance, piling up three turnovers and finishing the job with a fumble that helped seal one of the biggest wins in program history. Now the challenge gets even trickier.
The Tigers turn around to face No. 18 LSU, fresh off a 31-0 win over Mississippi State, and Auburn will need another sharp defensive outing to keep rolling.
There’s plenty of attention to go around on Pat Dye Field tomorrow, but three defenders stand out as the players most likely to swing the game.
Melendez has become the centerpiece of Auburn’s linebacker room, and with Xavier Atkins dismissed from the team earlier this week, even more will fall on the sophomore’s shoulders. He’s already putting together the best season of any player on Auburn’s defense, leading the Tigers in total tackles, solo tackles, pass deflections, sacks and several other categories. He’ll get a fresh start against LSU, but the pressure on him only keeps growing.
That’s especially true because LSU brings a new set of problems. Melendez has been a headache for opposing offenses all season, and Auburn will need him to process the game quickly and keep the defense in position if it wants to recreate the kind of control it showed against Georgia.
Up front, Womack looks like the player built to make things miserable for the quarterback. The former five-star has just two sacks and 11 total tackles so far, but this is the kind of matchup that could bring a breakthrough. His job is clear: make Sam Leavitt uncomfortable.
If Womack and the rest of Auburn’s defensive line can keep steady heat on Leavitt, the chances for mistakes should follow. Leavitt has already thrown eight interceptions this season, and Auburn has done its best work when it’s winning the turnover battle.
The first step, though, is stopping the run. That was part of the formula against Georgia, when Auburn held up against several different rushing looks before the Dawgs leaned on the passing game and paid for it under pressure. LSU presents a similar roadmap for Auburn’s defense.
That’s where Sigler comes in. He has been one of Auburn’s best answers to the run all season, and if the Tigers are going to slow LSU down, he’ll need another one of those steady, disruptive performances. He’s also shown he can affect the quarterback once he gets going, which only adds another layer to what Auburn is trying to do.
It’s a difficult assignment, and nobody inside the building would pretend otherwise. But if Auburn can squeeze the run, force Leavitt into bad decisions and turn those into mistakes, the defense has a clear path to keeping LSU in check.
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Former Auburn Receiver Leaves Fans Worried About What Comes Next
Cam Colemans day against Ole Miss ended abruptly in the early stages of the third quarter, when the Texas wide receiver exited with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. Before leaving, he had hauled in one pass for 12 yards, a small but still meaningful part of Texas passing game before the concern shifted from production to his availability.
Steve Sarkisian did not offer a specific update afterward, but he did signal that the injury did not look good, which is exactly the kind of vague postgame messaging that leaves everyone waiting for more. For Auburn fans keeping tabs on one of their former receivers, the bigger question now is not what Coleman did on that one play, but what comes next for a player whose night ended far too soon. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Players Sounded Off After A Loss That Raised Bigger Concerns
The frustration around Auburns loss to No. 18 LSU was easy to understand after a 38-17 defeat that felt bigger than one bad night. LSU piled up 552 total yards and controlled the game on offense, while Auburn had trouble generating much of anything on the ground and spent too much time protecting quarterback Byrum Brown from a relentless pass rush.
For a team that had been hoping to steady itself in SEC play, the result dropped Auburn to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in the league and reopened concerns about how much progress has really been made. The timing only adds to the pressure, with No. 7 Ole Miss next on the schedule and little room for Auburn to let one lopsided home loss turn into something more damaging. [Read more 🡒]
DJ Durkin Just Got Another Warning Sign Auburn Fans Will Notice
Auburn took a hit on the recruiting trail when four-star defensive lineman Nate Kamba flipped his commitment from the Tigers to South Carolina. For a program trying to stabilize its defense and build momentum with high-end talent, losing a player like Kamba stings beyond the immediate headline because it connects directly to the larger concerns surrounding the units direction.
DJ Durkin is already under a brighter spotlight because of Auburns defensive struggles, and this latest setback only adds to the pressure. The Tigers still have a strong recruiting class overall, but the loss gives fans another reason to keep watching how the staff handles the defense moving forward, especially with Tim Banks mentioned as a possible replacement if a change is made. [Read more 🡒]