Roundtable: The Auburn Wire staff shares thoughts on Auburn’s upcoming SEC opener
Auburn football enters the weekend with an unbeaten record, and they are ready to face their toughest challenge to date, Texas A&M.
The Aggies are 2-1 with their lone blemish coming against Miami in week two. Texas A&M features a solid offense that will provide a quality challenge to the Tigers’ defense.
This week, the Auburn Wire Roundtable previews the matchup by sharing what they would like to see out of the Tigers in College Station. They also hit topics such as Jimbo Fisher’s hot seat, the Tigers’ place in the rankings, and Alabama‘s game with Ole Miss.
Here’s what writers Taylor Jones, JD McCarthy, and Brian Hauch are looking for in Auburn’s SEC opener at Texas A&M.
Texas two-step?
Payton Thorne showed signs of being a true dual-threat QB last week vs. Samford. What do you think this means for the QB rotation going forward?
TJ: I think we will truly have a better understanding next week when Auburn plays Georgia. I expect Thorne to play a similar game against Texas A&M, and for Ashford to win the edge in the red zone. It may be the last opportunity for Ashford to prove his worth.
JM: I think that it is going to limit the amount Robby Ashford plays even more. He will truly become a red zone specialist and only at certain times, not every trip.
BH: I wanted to see Payton Thorne sustain long, solid drives last week and that is exactly what he did. The best version of the Tigers offense is going to have Thorne commanding the game with Ashford being used as a red zone weapon for a handful of plays.
Offensive takeaways
Outside of Payton Thorne, what was your biggest takeaway from the Samford game?
TJ: The lack of production from the running backs is a big concern to me. Thorne had a great game against Samford, but he is still learning the ropes and searching for his comfort zone. As he is doing that, it would be beneficial to see another unit step up and pick up the slack. Maybe Jarquez Hunter will break through the rust this week and have a great game.
JM: That Rivaldo Fairweather could be Auburn’s most talented receiving threat and needs to get plenty of touches every game.
BH: In terms of the stat sheet, the biggest takeaway for me would be the lack of production from the running backs. I thought this would be the game Jarquez Hunter would set the tone for the remainder of the season. He ran for 37 yards on 11 carries. The more important takeaway for me is the injury to cornerback Keionte Scott. Scott, like the rest of the Auburn secondary, has been great this season and his injury is going to force him to miss a “considerable amount of time” per head coach Hugh Freeze. That doesn’t bode well for an Auburn team that has games against Texas A&M, Georgia, and LSU coming up in consecutive weeks.
Stopping the rebellion
Ole Miss travels to Alabama this weekend. Will the Rebels pull off the upset? Or will Alabama get through their recent struggles and earn a solid win?
TJ: Lane Kiffin has done great things at Ole Miss, and has a solid offense this season. However, he has yet to win a big game. It’s more of a “prove me wrong” type of situation, but I expect Alabama to win.
JM: I just can’t see Ole Miss beating Alabama in Tuscaloosa. This is probably the year for everyone to take their shot at Alabama but I’m skeptical that Ole Miss will be able to get it done.
BH: Fanduel Sportsbook has the Rebels as 7-point underdogs this week. Give me the points. The Alabama program has been a disaster this year. After losing to Texas in week 2, they went into halftime tied 3-3 with South Florida last week. The Tide eventually won the game, but the offense still had issues, putting up only 17 points. Nick Saban will reportedly be going back to quarterback Jalen Milroe this week after benching him in week three. That could ignite the Tide, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they find themselves in an early hole against Lane Kiffin’s electric offense.
Is the final week on the outside?
If Auburn were to win Saturday, do you believe they have done enough to earn a top-25 ranking ahead of the Georgia game?
TJ: Due to the lack of success over the past two seasons, voters have been skeptical when voting for Auburn. However, they have remained on the outside looking in throughout the season. Depending on what happens outside of this game, a win could possibly sneak them into the top 25.
JM: No, being 4-0 is great but none of the wins would be that impressive to me. The Cal victory was nice but far from confidence building and Texas A&M lost their one game against similar competition by double digits.
BH: I believe Auburn should be ranked now after a 3-0 start. The continued early-season success of the PAC-12 is one of the bigger stories in college football, so for voters to not put more stock in Auburn’s victory on the road over Cal is a bit confusing. If the Tigers are able to pull off a win in College Station, every voter who doesn’t put them in their top 25 should be jailed.
The hottest seat in Texas
What will a loss to Auburn do for Jimbo Fisher’s hot seat?
TJ: Bruce Feldman said it best… “A&M will find that money.” The SEC West is not for the faint of heart, and Fisher is experiencing that firsthand. Alabama is not the team that they once were, so this may be the best chance for Fisher to lead the Aggies to Atlanta. A loss to Auburn after already losing to Miami will not be a great look for Fisher.
JM: Crank it right on up to being the hottest in the SEC. Yes, he is owed a ridiculous amount of money but he has underperformed since coming over from FSU and it is rapidly approaching now or never time for him and the Aggies.
BH: If the seat is simmering right now for Jimbo, it’s going up in flames if he loses to an unranked Auburn team at home. I do think the early loss in Miami is going to look better as the season progresses, but a 2-2 start would still be a 2-2 start. That is not good for a team that had hopes of competing in the SEC West.
Keep the pressure coming
What will Auburn need to do well in order to earn a win?
TJ: Auburn will need to pressure Conner Weigman. Weigman has been an efficient quarterback thanks to his receivers. I look for Jaylin Simpson and Eugene Asante to continue their successful trend in the game. Offensively, Jarquez Hunter needs to become more of a factor than he has in the previous two games.
JM: Offensively, will have to do a better job of protecting the ball and getting the ground game going. Defensively they will need to pressure Conner Weigman and the cornerbacks will have to hold up against some talented receivers.
BH: The defense is obviously going to have to play well, and I think they will against an A&M team that loves to throw. That being said, A&M is going to score points regardless, so Payton Thorne and the Tigers offense need to have a big game. It would really help if the run game could get going.
Final score prediction
TJ: Texas A&M 27 Auburn 24
JM: Texas A&M 30 Auburn 23
BH: Texas A&M 30 Auburn 22
