Auburn Football vs Ole Miss: Five Bold Predictions
Oct 25, 2014; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers tight end Brandon Fulse (11) celebrates a touchdown during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
Auburn Will Score a First Quarter Touchdown
62-3.
That’s the scoring edge the Ole Miss Rebels have over their opponents in the first quarter this season. Simple arithmetic indicates the Rebels have not allowed a touchdown to an opponent in the first 15 minutes of a game this season. That will change Saturday night.
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Why?
It’s not because the Tigers are particularly dominant in the first quarter or because the offense has been phenomenal at the beginning of games in 2014. In fact, Auburn holds only a 62-49 scoring edge this season in the game’s first period, which is the closest of any quarter, and the 62 points are the second fewest of any quarter for Auburn this season (the Tigers have only scored 45 points in the third quarter of games this year).
However, the Tigers are beginning to click on offense much like they did down the stretch in 2013. Auburn has been held out of the end zone in the first quarter only twice this season (against Kansas State and Mississippi State), and they gained momentum with an impressive offensive performance last week against South Carolina that included 551 yards of total offense, 395 rushing yards, and touchdowns on six consecutive drives.
Sure, the Gamecocks defense is a far cry from Ole Miss. But, the Auburn offense utilizes unique formations and blocking schemes that the Rebels haven’t seen yet in 2014, and when the Tigers are rolling, no one can stop them.