A preseason College Football Playoff pick for many and touted as the overall SEC favorite by the conference media, Auburn didn’t look quite that dominant Saturday.
Jeremy Johnson threw three interceptions, the running game was merely good and the defense allowed unranked Louisville back into the game late before winning, 31-24.
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Still, the Tigers remain lodged in the top 10 in both major polls, slotting at No. 6 in the AP and No. 7 in the Coaches.
Barring a major upset — the Tigers play FCS opponent Jacksonville State at noon ET Saturday — Auburn will jump at least one of the teams ahead of them in next week’s Coaches Poll. Oregon (No. 5) travels to Michigan State (No. 6) on Saturday. Auburn is ahead of Oregon in the AP.
There are 10 regular-season games beyond that, though, including eight SEC contests. It helps that Auburn is starting from an advantageous position, but the team needs to execute better by the time it faces the likes of Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Texas A&M.
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
