Auburn football: 10 things to know about the Tigers’ game against Texas A&M
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With an extra week of preparation, the Auburn Tigers look to pick up where they left off before the break and not take a step backward like Texas A&M did on Saturday, losing to Nick Fitzgerald and Mississippi State 28-13 on the road after its bye week.
The Tigers host that Aggies team in a noon Saturday showdown at Jordan-Hare. Here are 10 things to know about the matchup.
1. Visitors dominate
This is a trend the Tigers hope to bring to a halt. The two teams have played six times since Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2012. Each time, the visitors have been victorious, for the most part by a wide margin. Only twice has the game been decided by one possession. The other four weren’t close, with the winning team taking the game by an average of 24 points.
2. Third downs are key
Converting on third down will be critical in a game as close as this one looks like on paper. Texas A&M went into the Mississippi State game leading the conference in third down defense and still do (27.5 percent). But the Bulldogs were able to convert on their first four third-down plays and for the game converted 7 of 12. That’s the kind of third-down efficiency the Tigers must strive for on Saturday if they hope to be competitive.
3. Rush defense
Texas A&M has been struggling in the run game, and that plays right into the hands of an Auburn defense that has held opponents under their average in 11 of the last 12 games. Three times this season, the Tigers have held opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing. The Aggies, averaging 186.4 yards rushing per game, have not met that number since the third game of the season and were held to a season-low 61 yards against Mississippi State.
4. Red zone defense
Another stat that seemingly favors Auburn is red zone defense, where the Tigers lead the nation, allowing touchdowns on just 26.1 percent (6-of-23) of opportunities. Texas A&M is just 12th in the conference in scoring in the red zone (81.6 percent). But when the Aggies do score, it’s oftentimes a touchdown. Texas A&M is tied for third in the SEC in that department, scoring 21 TDs in the red zone. Only Missouri (22) and Alabama (33) have more.
5. Time of possession
While Texas A&M leads the SEC and ranks second in the nation in time of possession (36:11), the Tigers have been fairly impressive on occasion despite ranking only 12th in the SEC (27:11). Auburn is one of just seven teams nationally with 14 or more scoring drives of 10-plus plays this season. A few of those could seriously cut into the Aggies’ TOP.
6. Scoring first
Jumping out to a quick start will be important. Auburn has scored first in 23 of the last 26 games, including seven this season. The Tigers are 39-13 under head coach Gus Malzahn when scoring first.
7. Passing offense critical
With the Texas A&M defense leading the SEC against the rush, it will be crucial for Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham to have a big game. Fitzgerald was able to throw for 241 yards and 2 touchdowns in last week’s win over the Aggies. Stidham will need to put up similar numbers, at least, in order to give the Tigers a chance. In the win over Ole Miss, Stidham recorded his 15th 200-yard passing game (215).
8. If you think lineman Marlon Davidson is good on defense …
We all know how good Davidson is on defense, but he is a special teams leader as well. In the win over Ole Miss, he blocked a field for the third consecutive game, most in program history and tied for the second-most field goal blocks in a season in SEC history.
9. Auburn defense stingy from the outset
While the Tigers have been proficient in scoring first, their defense has kept the opposition off the scoreboard in the opening quarter. The defense has allowed only four first-quarter touchdowns over the last 26 games, just three since the 2017 season.
10. PATs automatic
Auburn’s Anders Carlson is 23-for-23 on extra points this season. That extends a consecutive PAT string of 251 kicks, an SEC record and the longest active streak in the FBS. The team record is 302 (Florida State, 2012-16).
Glenn Sattell is an award-winning freelance writer for Saturday Down South.
