Auburn already has one SEC upset on the résumé this season, and now Alex Golesh’s team gets a shot at another one in Oxford against Ole Miss.
The Tigers head into Saturday’s matchup off a rough 38-17 loss to LSU, a game where Auburn never really found a rhythm on either side of the ball. But this one sets up differently. Ole Miss has its own issues, and they give Auburn a path to make things uncomfortable.
The clearest opening comes on the ground. Ole Miss has been the SEC’s worst rushing defense, giving up 161.1 yards per game.
Texas piled up 207 rushing yards against the Rebels, and Florida’s top two backs combined for 268. That matters for an Auburn offense that has had trouble getting its run game going.
Jeremiah Cobb and Omar Mabson could be in line for chances to make plays, and Byrum Brown may also be able to help with his legs. Ole Miss has also been vulnerable through the air, allowing 27 completions of at least 20 yards this season. If Auburn can hit those spots, the offense has a real chance to put together one of its better outings.
Of course, Auburn has to hold up on the other side too, and that’s where the concern really starts.
The Tigers gave up 552 total yards to LSU, including 387 passing yards and three touchdowns to quarterback Sam Leavitt. Now they have to deal with another dangerous quarterback in Trinidad Chambliss, who can extend plays with his legs and create big throws downfield. With Auburn’s issues in the secondary, that’s a tough matchup.
Ole Miss will also be missing several players, including star running back Kewan Lacy and multiple defensive backs. That gives Auburn more reason to believe the upset is there for the taking.
Still, the Tigers have to cash in. Auburn’s win over Georgia showed what this team can do when Golesh’s group plays clean and forces turnovers.
Absolutely.
In Other News...
Auburn's Offense Just Took Another Hit Before Ole Miss Matchup
Auburns receiver room got a little thinner heading into a tricky SEC road test, with Jeremiah Koger ruled out for the matchup against Ole Miss. He now joins Tai Buster and Hunter Herring on the injury report, leaving the Tigers to piece together their offense with another available option off the board as they prepare for one of the leagues more demanding environments.
Ole Miss is dealing with its own roster issues, too, and the availability report has already trimmed the Rebels down by 10 players, including running back Kewan Lacy. Even with both teams shorthanded, the absences matter on a weekend when depth and flexibility can swing the tenor of a conference game, and Auburn will have to find answers without one more name it was hoping to have. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Defense And QB Situation Suddenly Look Far More Fragile
Ole Miss walked out of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium with a 45-15 win over Auburn, and the Rebels did it with a quarterback who kept the Tigers off balance in more ways than one. Trinidad Chambliss made his mark through both the air and on the ground, while Ole Miss coach Pete Golding had plenty of praise afterward for Chambliss and offensive coordinator John David Baker, whose plan helped keep Auburn chasing the game from early on.
For Auburn, the bigger concern was how little rhythm the offense found while Byrum Brown was under steady pressure. The Tigers never got much going on the ground, and the combination of a shaky quarterback situation and a defense that bent far too often made the loss feel bigger than the score alone. It left Auburn with more questions than answers at a point in the season when stability is supposed to matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Second-Half Collapse Just Raised Bigger Questions About This Offense
Auburns trip to Oxford ended with a lopsided 45-15 loss to No. 12 Ole Miss, a result that did more than just deepen the frustration from one rough afternoon. It also marked the Tigers first two-game losing streak under coach Alex Golesh, with the offense again unable to keep pace after showing flashes early enough to keep the game within reach.
Byrum Brown finished with 195 passing yards, but Auburn never found enough consistency to put real pressure on Ole Miss, where Trinidad Chambliss controlled the game with 263 passing yards and three total touchdowns. The bigger concern now is how quickly Auburn can reset before Arkansas comes to Jordan-Hare Stadium on November 7, because the margin for error on that side of the ball has started to shrink. [Read more 🡒]