Auburn Football: Texas A&M at #3 Auburn Preview and Predictions

Oct 4, 2014; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers running back Cameron Artis-Payne (44) carries the ball against the LSU Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Interesting Facts

• Auburn RB Cameron Artis-Payne leads the SEC in rushing with 969 yards. The last time the SEC’s leading rusher wasn’t invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation was 2008. Since then, the SEC leading rushers to make it to New York have been Mark Ingram (2009), Cam Newton (2010), Trent Richardson (2011), Johnny Manziel (2012) and Tre Mason (2013).
• This season, Cameron Artis-Payne has twice as many 10+ yard runs in the 4th quarter (10) as he does in the 1st quarter (5).
• Texas A&M is one of only four SEC teams that lead Auburn head-to-head historically. They others are Alabama, LSU and (sigh) Vanderbilt.
• In SEC home games this year, Auburn averages 331.7 rushing yards per game (302 vs. Arkansas, 298 vs. LSU, 395 vs. South Carolina). In SEC road games, Texas A&M allows 215 rushing yards per game (67 vs. South Carolina, 280 vs. Mississippi State, 298 vs. Alabama).
• Texas A&M has been outscored 97-10 in the first halves of their losses to Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Alabama this season.
• With A&M being unranked, the highest ranking of any opponent playing at Jordan-Hare Stadium this season was #15 LSU. The last time Auburn went a season without hosting an opponent ranked 14th or higher at the time was 2007, when Auburn didn’t host a single team ranked in the top 25.

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