Despite its 30-12 loss to Alabama on Saturday, Auburn will improve upon its 7-6 finish in 2015. The 8-4 Tigers have a chance to make a two-win improvement should they win their upcoming bowl game.

Several factors helped the Tigers make that improvement, but there also things that didn’t go so well for Gus Malzahn’s team. Kicking off with the positives, here’s a look at the ups and downs of Auburn’s regular season.

What went right

Kamryn Pettway has been Auburn’s most valuable player: It’s pretty amazing that Pettway, who didn’t take a handoff last season while serving as an H-back, finished the regular season with 1,123 yards on 185 carries to become Auburn’s 10th 1,000-yard rusher since 2009. It’s also pretty amazing that Pettway compiled those numbers despite missing three games due to injury and not recording any offensive statistics in the Tigers’ season-opening 19-13 loss to Clemson.

For the most part, the offensive line has been outstanding: From left to right, Alex Kozan, Robert Leff, Braden Smith, Austin Golson, Darius James and Xavier Dampeer have been so good at run blocking that they helped Auburn lead the SEC in rushing, averaging just under 298 rushing yards per game entering its 30-12 loss to Alabama, when it rushed 26 times for a season-low 66 yards.

That group’s pass blocking was also solid. Entering the Iron Bowl, the Tigers had allowed 18 sacks to rank tied for fourth in the SEC and ended up yielding one against the Crimson Tide.

Hiring Kevin Steele was Malzahn’s best move: The defensive coordinator has made an impressive impact in his first season on The Plains. Before Jalen Hurts found the end zone from four yards out on Saturday, the Tigers had gone 34 quarters without allowing a rushing touchdown.

Before surrendering a season-high in points to Alabama, Auburn had been sixth in scoring defense in the FBS, yielding 14.3 points per game. That defense was especially stout during the Tigers’ six-game winning streak, during which they allowed 11 points per contest.

Carl Lawson has played every game this season: That statement hasn’t been made about the defensive end since he played in all 14 games of his freshman campaign in 2013. Lawson, who missed all of 2014 and six games last season due to injuries, leads Auburn in sacks (9) and tackles for loss (12.5).

Daniel Carlson has stepped up his game: Auburn’s junior place kicker has been even better than he was last season, when he went 23-of-27 (85.2 percent) on his field goal attempts. Including Saturday’s game, when Carlson missed a 52-yard attempt, the 2015 Lou Groza Award finalist is now 26-of-30 (86.7 percent).

What went wrong

Too many drives ended in field goals: It’s hard to beat Alabama without scoring a touchdown, and Saturday’s loss was no exception. Even in its victories — such as Auburn’s 18-13 win over LSU — the Tigers were too reliant on Carlson to the point where he was their most important weapon on offense until Pettway emerged.
The Tigers have been too one-dimensional on offense: Because Auburn fell behind, it ended up throwing 42 percent of the time against Alabama. It was an uptick over the Tigers’ 70-30 run-pass ratio entering the game, but Auburn still needs a more balanced approach on offense.
The passing game is still not where it needs to be: Even though Sean White has been the SEC’s most accurate passer and one of its most efficient QBs, he doesn’t scare opponents. Jeremy Johnson has one game left in his Auburn career, and junior college transfer John Franklin III still hasn’t proven that he can pass effectively on this level, so until further notice, expect White to remain the starter.

Plus, in another indication that Auburn needs more balance on offense, how is White supposed to continue to develop when he’s throwing only 30 percent of the time? Along with that, how are some of Auburn’s young receivers supposed to emerge as potential primary targets if they’re getting the ball so little?

A winning season that includes a six-game winning streak is an improvement from last year, when the Tigers finished 7-6. Auburn’s loss to Georgia killed its SEC West and College Football Playoff chances, but the 2016 season is one that Malzahn and his Tigers can build upon.