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Checking in on the early-season temperatures in Auburn, Ala., …
HOT
The Auburn defense. The Tigers are giving up just 16 points per game which ranks 13 in the FBS, a point differential of 31 points. This unit, led by Kris Frost and Josh Holsey, secured a top 20 road win against Kansas State on a night in which the offense wasn’t able to do much. Coordinator Ellis Johnson made the move to put Gabe Wright and Montravius Adams back inside at tackle, which has enhanced the Auburn pass rush over the past two games. The Tigers have recorded 21 tackles-for-loss, eight sacks and have produced seven turnovers. This unit is getting better and more aggressive with each game, and you can see now that Johnson is able to implement some more complex schemes.
WARM
The offense has taken a step back this week after mustering up just 20 points at Kansas State. The Tigers had scored an offensive touchdown in every quarter of this season until the first quarter in Manhattan. Auburn did not have a 100-yard rusher, and its streak of 13 straight games with at least 200 yards on the ground was broken. However, Nick Marshall made some big time throws in big time moments and JUCO transfer receiver Duke Williams has become one of Marshall’s favorite targets. Head coach Gus Malzahn and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee will get the execution problems fixed and you can expect the Tigers will continue to put up some huge numbers.
COLD
The Tigers’ chances in the SEC West. This division is nasty and there are three legitimate (as of right now) teams that could win it in Auburn, Alabama and Texas A&M. I fully expect the division winner to have at least one loss, and with the Tigers embarking on a journey of having to play seven ranked teams in eight weeks, it’s vital for Malzahn’s team to put forth its best effort week in and week out.
FROZEN
Winter has been staved off thus far on the Plains, but there are still some issues that need to be corrected and the Tigers have yet to put together a really complete game. The schedule is about to get brutally tough and the slightest slip-up could cause Auburn’s SEC championship and College Football Playoff hopes to freeze.
After living in Birmingham, Ala., Jordan left the ground zero of SEC Nation to head south to Florida to tell the unique stories of the renowned tradition of SEC football. In his free time, his mission is to find the best locales around.
