Auburn Football: 3 reasons to be nervous ahead of Alabama matchup

Auburn’s offense has struggled against inferior defenses

Bo Nix has been an incredibly steady hand for Auburn football, but in reality, he has been more of a game manager than a truly standout quarterback. That has led to the team scoring an average of 28 points per game this season.

Those numbers not only pale in comparison to the offensive performance Mac Jones as put up for the Crimson Tide, but they rank seventh in the SEC in scoring offense. Comparing Nix to a Heisman trophy candidate might seem unfair, but these two schools are supposed to be neck and neck for the SEC title every season.

Instead, these two squads appear to be heading in different directions…especially if Auburn loses their third game this season. Currently ranked 22nd in the nation, the Tigers could fall out of the rankings altogether if they were to fall to 5-3.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much faith that can be put into Gus Malzahn’s team this season to overwhelm Alabama after underwhelming showings against Ole Miss, Arkansas and Georgia…and that’s before scratching the surface on a loss on the road in South Carolina in Will Muschamp’s last great showing before his firing. 

If anything, Auburn’s best chance of winning on Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium is to pound the ball and avoid making mistakes in the air. The Tigers finally won their first game when Nix throws an interception on Saturday.

Unfortunately, winning a game through punishing Alabama’s rush defense is far easier said than done considering they give up 115 yards per game on the ground…the fact that the entire defense has not given up a score either of the last two weeks just adds to the anxiety Auburn football fans may be feeling at the moment.