Auburn’s offense put up 39 points against Florida and still walked away with plenty to clean up. Now the Tigers turn to a Vanderbilt defense that is forcing a different kind of test, one Auburn knows will not come easy on Saturday.
Vanderbilt arrives at Jordan-Hare Stadium at 3-0 and fresh off a 35-31 win sealed by a game-winning fumble recovery in the end zone. The Commodores will be playing their first SEC game of the season, and Auburn is paying close attention to the way they operate on defense.
“Vandy is a great team,” Auburn tight end Jake Johnson told reporters on Tuesday. “They’re a physical team. I know they have great effort, so it’s going to be a great matchup and looking forward to playing them.”
On paper, Vanderbilt’s numbers are respectable enough. Through Week 4, the Commodores rank 10th in the SEC in total yards allowed per game and 13th in points allowed per game.
But the challenge for Auburn goes beyond the rankings. Vanderbilt’s scheme is built to force quick decisions and put stress on an offense that has already had trouble keeping defenders off its quarterback.
The Tigers have spent the week preparing for a defense that leans heavily on Cover 0, leaving corners in man coverage without safety help. That aggressive approach shows up especially on first downs, a spot Auburn’s offense values heavily.
“I don’t think I’ve ever played against anything like that,” said Auburn center Cole Best. “We have a great plan for it.
We’re gonna have a great plan for it come Saturday. But, really, just that.
They bring a lot of unique looks on first downs.”
Those man-coverage looks could also open the door for Auburn’s passing game. Last season, even with a much different group of receivers, the Tigers found ways to create big plays against one-on-one coverage.
That’s the kind of matchup Keshaun Singleton is eager to see. Auburn’s leading receiver had seven catches for 99 yards and a touchdown against Florida, and he’s become a real threat on deep balls.
“I’ll take man over zone any day,” Singleton said when speaking to reporters on Tuesday.
The pressure up front may be the biggest concern for Auburn. Vanderbilt ranks third in the SEC with 12 sacks, and the Commodores’ attack-heavy style could make life difficult for an Auburn offensive line that has already been hit hard. The Tigers have allowed more sacks than any other SEC team this season, a problem that isn’t solely on the line, since Byrum Brown also shares some of the blame.
Auburn coach Alex Golesh said the Tigers have to be ready for what Vanderbilt brings.
“It’ll be a big challenge for us to one, be ready for as much pressure as they bring and the multiplicity of what they do defensively,” head coach Alex Golesh said of Vanderbilt on Monday. “And then we got to go find ways to go get first downs, really, really early in the game.”
Kickoff is set for 3:15 p.m. CT Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, with the game airing on SEC Network.
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