How Auburn Football’s Offense, Defense Compares to Rest of SEC – Sports Illustrated

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The Auburn Tigers may be off to a bit of a shaky start to the season, barely beating Baylor and Vanderbilt while losing to Florida, but Alex Golesh, the Tigers’ newest head coach, has been clear that the goal for this season is to build a foundation, not to be a top-tier contender right off the bat.
However, for that foundation to be built, the Tigers will still need to be competitive in SEC play this year, and so far, they are 1-1 in conference play. Moving forward, the Tigers’ chances will largely boil down to both offensive and defensive efficiency, so how do they stack up against the rest of the SEC in those aspects so far?
Let’s take a look.
As it stands, Auburn is currently ranked as the 13th-best offense in the SEC with an average of 30 points per game, only ahead of Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Oklahoma. The Tigers scored just 21 points against Vanderbilt and 17 points against Baylor, so a large part of this average comes from the Tigers’ 39 points against Florida and 43 points against Southern Miss.
At its core, the Tigers’ offensive issues have come down to their trouble establishing the run, as the Tigers’ RB1, Jeremiah Cobb, has carried the ball just 17 times over the course of two SEC matchups. Byrum Brown, the Tigers’ quarterback, has rushed the ball effectively at times, but a dual-threat quarterback is not a substitute for a traditional rushing attack, especially with the numbers Brown is bringing in.
Defensively, the Tigers currently tie for seventh in the SEC in points allowed per game with 20.75, sharing the honor with the Missouri Tigers. Especially after playing an offense like Florida’s, which is currently ranked as the best in the SEC, this is not too bad of a start for the Tigers.
Mental errors and missed tackles have haunted the Tigers’ defense throughout the season, particularly in SEC play, but a strong showing against Vanderbilt certainly sets the stage for a strong defensive showing throughout the rest of the season.
Both the Tigers’ offensive and defensive units have a real test scheduled this weekend, though, as Auburn will travel to Neyland Stadium in Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Volunteers, who are looking to rebound after a 20-17 loss to No. 1 Texas. 
That game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT this Saturday, and it will be broadcast on ESPN.
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Brooks is an Atlanta-born sports journalism major. His work has been featured on Eagle Eye TV, Fly War Eagle, Sporting News, Bleacher Report, MSN, among others. Additionally, Brooks anchors Eagle Eye TV’s “Sports Night in Auburn,” a live broadcast shared on Channel Six and YouTube Live.
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