College Football Countdown: 5 Most Crucial Games for Auburn in 2016

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Nov 28, 2015; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen runs onto the field with his players before the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi won 38-27. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports /

Mississippi State

This will be Auburn’s first road game of the season, and depending on how the first four games go this would be the next swing game on the schedule.

We’ll say Auburn starts the season 2-2 with losses to Clemson and LSU. That means this game would determine whether or not Auburn goes to 3-2 (2-1) or 2-3 (1-2), which makes a big deal in fan perception of the team.

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Mississippi State will most likely be 3-1 coming into this game with a loss at LSU in week three. They will have also played South Alabama, South Carolina and UMASS.

The Bulldogs will be replacing one of the best quarterbacks to ever come through that program in Dak Prescott, so you have to think there will be some regression in 2016. He led the team in rushing with 588 yards and 10 touchdowns last year, while also passing for 3,793 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Auburn lost at home to Prescott and Mississippi State a year ago 17-9 as the Tiger offense just never got going. The Bulldogs return six starters from that defensive unit, including their top tackler from last season in linebacker Richie Brown.

The reason this is such a swing game for Auburn is because after a possible loss to LSU, we should beat Louisiana-Monroe the following week. Then if we beat Mississippi State, we could potentially have a three-game winning streak with a win over Arkansas at home after a bye week.

That means the Tigers could potentially be 5-2 (3-1) going into the Ole Miss game, and I think most Auburn fans would feel pretty good with that record at that point in the season.

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