I understand the skepticism about the Auburn running game without KJ. But for all of Gus’s faults he has proven year after year that he will find a go to back and Auburn will find success running the football. The question mark for the running game should not be centered on finding a capable back (they will), it should be on whether the O-line can be good enough to compete with some of the elite teams on that schedule.

I never implied that there were more Auburn fans in the state of Georgia than UGA fans, if I wasn’t clear enough, my mistake. I am simply stating their is this overwhelming idea that because this game is away from JHS that it will be a huge disadvantage for Auburn. The author compared this game to Auburn’s ROAD games against Clemson and LSU. This is not a road game though, it is a neutral site game so those comparisons are not valid. Neither team in this game plays their home games here so trying to imply some how that Auburn’s play in true road games translates to this game more than their play the last few weeks isn’t logical.

My mistake on the distance to Atlanta but still this is not going to be a home game atmosphere for either side so there is no disadvantage for either team

It will be closer to 50/50 than you think and it sure as heck wont be anywhere near enough UGA majority inside to make it a home game which was my whole point. This is a neutral site game as much for UGA as Auburn, just because the venue is in the state does not make this a UGA home game.

KJ is an important piece of the puzzle, without question. But the deciding factor this weekend is going to be the battle at the LOS. UGA was manhandled in the previous meeting on both sides. If they cannot improve in that area I don’t see how KJ’s health is going to make a difference. But just for the record I do not see a repeat performance of what happened inside JHS. I think UGA will have a much better game plan as to how to attack Auburn’s D-line and this should be a 4 quarter fight.

This away from home argument baffles me, especially in the context of a neutral site game. Neither team is playing at home in this game, the crowd is going to be around 50/50 so how does this affect Auburn any differently than UGA? The sane goes for the playoff should Auburn win this Saturday. No opponent Auburn plays the rest of this season will have the benefit of a hone crowd. You cannot compare playing in a neutral site game to playing at 2 of the most hostile environments in college football and come away with an advantage for UGA. That comparison does not hold water. And for everyone saying this is a de facto hone game for UGA, no it isn’t. Auburn is actually closer to Atlanta than Athens and neither team has stepped foot in the new stadium. This argument of Auburn somehow being at such a huge disadvantage because of the game not being in JHS is being way overblown.

If that scenario played out I think Auburn would get in. There was a lot of debate a season ago about OSU getting in over Penn State and I think the beat down they took against Clemson would make them hesitate to pull the same stunt again. Likewise and more importantly, Auburn would have to win 3 out of their last 4 games against top 10, possibly top 5 teams, that alone would be almost impossible to overlook.

I agree that UGA owns Auburn at the moment, 9 out of 11 speaks for itself so until I see Auburn win I chalk it up as an L. However, I don't know how you look at these 2 teams and come away saying UGA has a clear advantage in all phases. These 2 teams are closer in my opinion than the media likes to believe. UGA has put up some gaudy numbers, but they haven't done it against a murderers row of opponents either. On the flip side Auburn hasn't put together a complete game against a top opponenet in a long time. UGA is good, very good, but Auburn has advantages against them.

These power rankings have become a joke! How in the world can you possibly put LSU ahead of MSU. LSU loses to Troy 2 weeks after getting beat by 30 points against MSU, and then they beat a very below average Florida team and some how that win on its own is enough to completely erase the beatdown they suffered in Starkville. Do you even try to think logically before posting these or do you just slap the teams in a random order after you get past the top 3?

Even as a die hard Auburn fan i agree that there is a gap between Bama and Auburn (and every other team in the SEC including UGA). But to state thag there is a bigger gap between Auburn and Bama than there is between Auburn and Missouri is a ridiculous statement to make. Alabama is probably going to beat Auburn, they are not however going to walk in JH stadium and put up 51 points and beat Auburn by 37, which is what Auburn did on the road to Mizzou a week ago. You just sound like someone who really hasn't paid any attention to college football when you make such dumb claims.

Pretty good list until Shula. Brandon Cox was a much better QB than Shula and his numbers show it. More yards, more TD's, better completion %, etc.

As much as I love Auburn I think Georgia deserves the benefit of the doubt in this rivalry until proven otherwise. On paper I feel as though Auburn has more answers, and the game is in Jordan-Hare, but those factors have not seemed to make a difference in recent memory. I am hoping Auburn and Gus find a way to win this game but I have to see it to believe it at this point!

Ummm in what world is LSU more equipped to win a shootout than Auburn? This game beeds to be low scoring for LSU, if it becomes a ba k and forth offensive affair, I will take Auburn every time. They are built to win that way. LSU is not. That isn't to say LSU cannot score in bunches but they have recurited to be a ball control offense that plays stout D. A shootout is not what you should be hoping for in this matchup!

Arkansas will be coming off of a game against Bama when Auburn rolls into Fayetteville. They will be a little beat up, as will Auburn. With that being the case I just don't see how Arkansas pulls this upset. They are outmanned at every position except possibly QB. The difference between the two lines of scrimmage in this game cannot be understated. Auburn has superior athletes across the board. I don't think a repeat of last year is in order, but I also don't think Arkansas can keep this to a one score game.

I get being high on Arkansas but there is nothing on paper that should lead you to believe they are gonna sniff a win against Auburn. So i ask what is your reasoning behind that prediction? Allen lost his top receiver and Williams is gone so he alone is not gonna be able to beat Auburn. They are trasnitioning to a new D and that is not going to bode well against a team that torched them a season ago. Reality is Auburn is too talented and just better at every spot than the Razorbacks. The only thing Ark has going for them is the game being played in Fayettville. I don't forsee a repeat of last year but I also don't see anything close to an upset.

Andrew Williams is not a projected starter for Auburn. Derrick Brown, a former 5 star, is the projected starter at DT along with Russel. Do you guys do any research at all before writing these articles???

I agree with your argument. Mccaron's stats and accomplishments earn him a spot on this list and a spot in the top 5. Coker's national championship season at Bama does not diminish gow good a QB AJ was. However, the fact he, Manziel, Murray and Dak are ahead of Newton is laughable. This article isn't titled best careers of SEC QBs since 2000, it is best QB's since 2000. Cam Newton has as much or more hardware than any of these QBs in his one season with the exception of Tebow. And to top it off he was the number 1 overall pick in the draft. The other guys were good QBs, no denying it, but they were in no way better than Cam, and reality is they aren't even thag close.

Maybe he did get paid, maybe that is the only reason Cam came to Auburn. What I know is fact is the NCAA conducted an investigation and found nothing. What I do know is fact is Cam Newton put together arguably the greatest season by a QB in SEC history (look at the stats). What I do know is Cam Newton was an All-American, Heisman winner, and National Champ all in the same season. What I do know is there is only one other QB on this list that can claim those 3 titles (not in one season mind you). Please logically explain to me based on some stat or fact how any of the guys ahead of Cam, with the exception of Tebow, are in his league? I willbe eagerly awaiting your ridiculous answer as I am sure you have one

Sean White is not a top 3 QB in the SEC. But he is smart and accurate enough to keep Auburn in just about every game. Stidham is a question mark at this point and not a known commodity. He could make Auburn the best team in the SEC, but he make only make them better. Time will tell whether or not Auburn is a team that can really challenge Alabama. Personally I think fans will get an idea week 2 when they travel to Clemson. If they win that game, they could very well be on the way to a big season.

Cam Newton as the 6th best on this list is a joke. No disrespect to the other names here but they are not even in the same league. Cam is a possible top 5 QB all time in the SEC, and sure as heck isn't behind 5 guys in the last 17 years.

How in the world is Kam Pettway not on this list? Guy was a forgotten 3 star player who got more looks as a fullback out of HS than running back and all he did this past season was tear it up! He has far exceeded the expectations of his ranking and more so the production of some of the guys listed in this story

This article is garbage, the CFP was never intended to protect the number 1 seed. It was to put the best 4 teams in a playoff and let them decide who was the best on the field. It has accomplished that and expanding it to 8 teams would be great for the sport. Most conferences only require their members to play one game against another Power 5 opponent outside their conference which means deciding who is number 1 between a group of 3-4 teams that have similar records is difficult because they don't have common opponents. The playoff is great, it has been a monster success, don't cry about it because all of a sudden the team the media has heralded is the best of the best in a particular season is now being exposed.

Hmmm, Auburn beats LSU, finishes higher in every poll, has better record against top 25, but LSU played Bama the toughest so they get the nod....SDS trying its best to rationalize putting Auburn anywhere but 2nd in the league. And how A&M isn't ahead if Tennessee is laughable and embarrassing for the author. Every time you post this crap it makes this site just seem like a constant joke.

So every team gets one play that defines their season, no matter how disastrous the season (see Ole Miss) yet the only play that could possibly define Auburn's year is an overturned LSU touchdown that gave them a last second win....no other play, that an Auburn player actually made, in 12 games, was a better depiction of what happened in Auburn's season? Seems to me you could have found one of a number of instances where #36 was blowing a defender up that would have captured the 6 game stretch where they jumped into the playoff conversation

How in the world Mon Adams and Carl Lawson didn't make the initial list but Byron Cowart and Derrick Brown did goes to show how idiotic this player value ranking is. But even more head-scratching is how in the world neither of those two made your list of omissions? This list and whatever "formula" you used to assign a player value needs to be revamped because this was a joke

I disagree that it is a better job but it is certainly an easier job. The SEC west is the most difficult division in college football to win consistently in. At FSU Jimbo has just 2-3 games a year that are really concerning on a consistent basis

Pretty Simple for Auburn, continue winning and they will be in. With a win over Alabama they will have the most impressive win in the country and like it or not, the SEC Champ isn't being left out of the playoff for a one loss non-champ

There are 84 other guys on scholarship and it is not Tennessee's responsibility nor the coaching staff's to showcase one player. It is Hurd's job to showcase himself when he has the opportunity. The kid quit on everyone in that locker room and there is not a way to spin the situation to make him right. At the end of the season if he still felt the same way then sure go for it, but doing this midseason makes him a quitter

This doesn't paint him in any better light. The coaches did not give me everything I wanted so I quit midseason. He brings up the injuries which have nothing to do with anything and then admits his decision was purely selfish

Vandy is a very well coached team and had a great game plan to exploit Auburn's secondary. Most concerning thing today was Auburn's rotation along the D-line and the subsequent inability to generate any kind of pass rush. Shurmur had all kinds of time to pick AU apart and was very successful at doing so. As for the offense it is pretty simple, JF3 cannot pass effectively and after he lost the fumble the coaches lost faith in him to run the football. Once that happens the playbook shrinks exponentially and there aren't many SEC defenses that won't manage to limit a one-dimensional offense. Sean comes in the second half and opens things back up but by then Vandy had confidence and was already in the game. If Sean plays the entire game the final score probably looks something like 35-16, more in line with what most expected to see. Also Cunningham is a stud, possibly the best defensive player in the conference.