Time to Play the Tigers

photo courtesy of facebook

Date: October 4th, 2014
Place: Jordan-Hare Stadium
 
Good day everyone and War Eagle! It's now October in our preseason look at Auburn's upcoming football schedule, and October means it's meat grinder time. Two of the nations best teams will square off with a tremendous amount at stake.

Last season, LSU defeated Auburn in Baton Rouge. The game looked out of hand in the first half, but Auburn kept clawing back into it. A late touchdown pass by LSU, and a questionable call on an onside kick derailed the Tigers chances. After this game the LSU players were asked if they had slacked off on Auburn in the second half, and they denied this. To a man, the Bengal Tigers players said that Auburn made the adjustments, and kept playing hard to get back in the game.

This game proved that Auburn could indeed play with the big boys of the SEC West. Working a little harder to correct some mistakes, the lessons learned that night in Baton Rouge would set up the rest of the Auburn run toward the BCS Championship game.

In 2014 the tables will be turned. It will be Auburn at home. It will be Auburn with the experienced future NFL draft pick at QB. It will be Auburn that wins. Let us look at how and why.

On offense LSU is starting a new QB. With Zack Mettenberger gone, the Bengal Tigers have very little experience at the QB position. Other than the 1st game of their season being at a neutral site, this will be the first road trip for a team that lost 9 players to the NFL Draft, and another 4 players offered Free Agency deals. There will be a lot of first time SEC road starts on the LSU squad.

With that amount of inexperience, and the raucous JHS crowd, I expect that LSU will have some troubles with offensive line penalties, and turnovers. This should give the potent Auburn offense at least two more possessions in the game.

Last year, LSU was 21st in scoring defense, 36th in rushing defense, 13th in passing defense, and 15th in total defense according to CollegeFootballStats.com .  Although these numbers are great, two big run stoppers were lost to the draft, and running the ball is Auburn's forte.

Offensively is where the biggest challenge is for the LSU team. Losses of 2 RB's, 3 WR's, and the QB position will be too much for this team to overcome in their first SEC road game. Coupled with an improved defensive squad from Auburn, the visiting Tigers could find scoring points very difficult.

If Auburn is not at its best LSU has more than enough talent to win this game. Les Miles is a proven winner, and not a man to be trifled with when it comes to game strategy. Miles has been known to call plays that nobody expects. His teams are always prepared, and focused. Our Tigers can ill afford to allow turnovers, and penalties.

I don't see this Auburn team not being prepared. Therefore, I predict a decisive victory over our Louisiana cousins. Make it Auburn with a couple of late drives for points and a 31 -21 victory at home.

WAR EAGLE!