The young LSU Tigers are making their first road trip of the season, traveling to the Plains to take on the Auburn Tigers. Auburn comes in ranked No. 5, although their zone-read offense hasn’t been up to the standards it set a year ago in the team’s run to an SEC championship and an appearance in the BCS National Championship game. Meanwhile, the defense looks improved despite losing Dee Ford, a first-round NFL draft pick.

Here are some of the top Auburn Tigers that LSU fans should get acquainted with before Saturday’s primetime matchup.

  • QB Nick Marshall: Auburn’s senior quarterback is the triggerman for Gus Malzahn’s offense, making the critical decision of when to hand the ball off to Auburn’s talented running backs and when to tuck and run. He’s leading Auburn in passing yards and is second in rushing.
  • WR D’haquille Williams: This junior college transfer brings a new dynamic to Auburn’s offense, giving them a big-time playmaker downfield. At 6-foot-2 and 216 pounds, Duke has the size to punish defensive backs, paired with the speed to burn past them.
  • RB Cameron Artis-Payne: Stepping in for current St. Louis Ram Tre Mason, Artis-Payne is carrying the ball 21.5 times per game for the Tigers. He’s only averaging 0.3 yards per carry less than Mason did a year ago, and he’s punched in 5 TD in Auburn’s 4-0 start.
  • DE DaVonte Lambert: Another junior college transfer, Lambert took over the starting role at defensive end two games ago and hasn’t looked back. He leads the Tigers with 2.5 sacks, and has been strong against the run and the pass.
  • DB Joshua Holsey: Holsey has done a little bit of everything, anchoring the Tigers’ defense from the back line. He’s fourth on the team in tackles after shifting to safety when Jermaine Whitehead was suspended, but he’s a solid cover man at cornerback as well.