SEC Debate: Which team has a better backfield tandem, Auburn or Miss. State?

Two of the SEC’s best offenses this season are led by two tremendous quarterback-tailback tandems; Dak Prescott and Josh Robinson have led the Mississippi State offense to 39 points per game this season, while Auburn’s Nick Marshall and Cameron Artis-Payne have the offense close behind, averaging more than 38 points per game.

Although both have been tremendous, we asked our SDS staffers to choose just one pairing because, frankly, that’s just more fun.

WHICH BACKFIELD TANDEM WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE LEADING YOUR OFFENSE: AUBURN’S NICK MARSHALL AND CAMERON ARTIS-PAYNE OR MISSISSIPPI STATE’S DAK PRESCOTT AND JOSH ROBINSON?

Jon Cooper (@JonSDS): Marshall/Artis-Payne

I love what Dak Prescott and Josh Robinson have done this season in Starkville, but give me the seasoned veteran of Nick Marshall at quarterback, along with the SEC’s leading rusher in Cameron Artis-Payne. CAP and Robinson are very similar, especially running in two alike schemes for Gus Malzahn and Dan Mullen. With respect to the quarterbacks, Marshall has a stronger arm than Prescott, and he’s played on the biggest stage. So, the experience factor is already there. That’s to to say Prescott can’t be that guy; he just hasn’t done it yet. Marshall has improved as a passer this season, and he has fewer turnovers than Prescott, too. College football is trending toward being a quarterback league — it’s been a head coach’s league for a few years now, and Marshall is the bigger game-breaker of the two.

Christopher Smith (@CSmithSDS): Prescott/Robinson

This is like choosing between filet mignon and prime rib at an expensive steakhouse. There’s no wrong answer. My gut reaction was that Auburn’s tandem is better. But the Tigers duo has rushed for 1,605 yards on 5.9 yards per carry and 16 touchdowns. Prescott and Robinson have combined for 1,676 yards on 6.1 yards per carry and 21 touchdowns. Both quarterbacks operate behind touted centers and throw to wideouts drawing attention from NFL scouts. But Prescott has the slightly better completion percentage, yards per attempt and touchdown-to-interception ratio. Plus Mississippi State won the head-to-head meeting. I’ll go with the duo propelling the nation’s No. 1 team.

Ethan Levine (@EthanLevineSDS): Prescott/Robinson

In deciding between championship production and the “hot” offense this season, I went with the team playing better football right now — Mississippi State. Marshall has thrown the ball better in recent weeks and Prescott is in a bit of a throwing slump, but I still believe Prescott is the better thrower when it comes to making any and every throw on the field. Marshall is the faster, shiftier runner, but Prescott can run around you or through you, giving him another edge on my scorecard. I don’t consider there to be much separation between Robinson and Artis-Payne, as both backs share many of the same characteristics and have posted eerily similar stats in 2014. As a result, Prescott’s edge over Marshall gives the Bulldogs’ dynamic duo the overall edge in this debate.

Jordan Cox (@JordanCox): Marshall/Artis-Payne

I would have to take Nick Marshall and Cameron Artis-Payne. Both duos are unbelievable for their respective teams, but Marshall and Artis-Payne are more versatile and with Marshall’s passing coming around during Auburn’s last four games, that’s an added dimension to Gus Malzahn’s offense that he and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee anticipated having from the start.  Marshall is the better runner than Prescott, while Artis-Payne can run between the tackles but also possesses breakaway speed when he reaches the second level. Prescott and Robinson have captured the nation’s attention with career seasons, but give me Marshall and Artis-Payne week-in and week-out.

Brad Crawford (@BCrawfordSDS): Prescott/Robinson

Intriguing question. I’ll go with the hotter combo this season — Prescott and Robinson. Prescott’s ability in the pocket scares me more than Marshall, although I’d still give the running back edge to Artis-Payne who, believe it or not, took over the SEC’s rushing lead last week. Both quarterbacks mentioned in this question have a tendency to lock onto receivers which leads to mistakes, but Prescott’s a throw-first, run-second threat while Marshall’s the opposite. You hear the popular opinion ‘he’s an athlete playing quarterback’ and that fits what Auburn has/needs to facilitate Gus Malzahn’s offense under center. You’ll notice less of a run-heavy approach next season when Jeremy Johnson takes over.

Bret Weisband (@WeisbandSDS): Prescott/Robinson

If looking at this from a purely running standpoint, the answer is clearly the Mississippi State duo. Josh Robinson has established himself as one of the best running backs in the country this season, and the “bowling ball” moniker he’s earned is accurate. Meanwhile, Dak Prescott is the most bruising SEC quarterback since Tim Tebow. However, Nick Marshall is a better passer than Prescott at this point. Dak gets to throw it more, but makes too many questionable decisions for my liking, giving Marshall the slight edge in that regard; Prescott is the more dangerous runner of the two, though. It’s not like Prescott is any slouch throwing the rock around — he did just set a career high in passing yards last weekend — and the gap between Robinson and Cameron Artis-Payne is more than enough to make up for any deficiencies Prescott has a passer compared to Marshall.

Drew Laing (@DLaingSDS): Prescott/Robinson

Ethan Levine

A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.