In a game that was delayed by weather for nearly three hours, the Auburn Tigers were able to outlast Southern Miss, 24-13 for a Homecoming victory on Saturday. The Tigers offense did just enough to hand the game over to the defense, which preserved it.

An early injury to running back JaTarvious Whitlow hampered Auburn’s offense and contributed to an inconsistent effort overall from that side. But the Tigers defense mostly dominated, keeping the Golden Eagles at arm’s length.

Here are five things I liked from Saturday’s victory and three things that Auburn needs to improve.

Things I liked

1. Run defense: Probably the single biggest aspect of the game was Auburn’s ability in the trenches to disrupt the Southern Miss run game. The Tigers yielded just 45 total yards rushing (2.1 yard average per rush). That’s a recipe for victory just about every time.

2. Jarrett Stidham’s presence in the pocket: The Auburn quarterback stood in and delivered, completing 19-of-33 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns. He displayed tremendous courage on his first touchdown toss, a 46-yarder to Seth Williams. Stidham remained focused as the pocket disintegrated. Despite taking a big hit, he delivered a perfect strike for Williams’ first TD reception.

3. LBs DeShaun Davis and Darrell Williams: The two played key roles in a stingy Auburn defense that kept Southern Miss out of the end zone until early in the fourth quarter. Davis recorded a season-high 10 tackles, the sixth time in his career with double-digit tackles in a game. Williams added nine tackles, including a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss.

Kam Martin (90 yards) had his best rushing day since gaining 136 yards last season against Georgia Southern.

4. Kam Martin: Coming off the bench for the injured Whitlow, Martin did yeoman’s work in leading the Tigers’ run game. Martin ran for 90 yards on 24 carries (3.8-yard average). While Whitlow was definitely missed, Martin provided the tough, hard-nosed rushes that helped move the chains. Seven of Auburn’s 17 first downs came via the run.

5. Red zone opportunities: Though the Tigers made it to the red zone only three times, they capitalized. Auburn scored touchdowns on its first two ventures to the Southern Miss 20, then added a fourth-quarter field goal that salted away the victory.

Things that need improvement

1. Penalties: Far too many penalties kept the Tigers from sustaining continuity. A total of nine penalties for 78 yards played a factor in a sputtering offense. It’s a statistic the Tigers can get by with against an inferior opponent, but won’t work against SEC competition.

2. Second-half play on offense: Granted, any momentum the Tigers might have had was hampered by the long weather delay. Still, though, following an early third-quarter score that increased the lead to 21-6, head coach Gus Malzahn sat on the ball and relied on his defense to preserve the lead.

3. Pass protection: Stidham threw for 245 yards on 33 attempts, but he was sacked three times and hurried on four other occasions, making it difficult for him to establish much of a rhythm.