Auburn football: Why Bo Nix is the key for Tigers against Penn State

Bo Nix is entering his 3rd season as the starting quarterback for Auburn football, but many things have changed for the QB out of Pinson, AL. He came to Auburn as the #1 Dual-threat QB in the 2019 class and was one of the 5-star crown jewels in Gus Malzahn’s recruiting class.

Over his first two seasons though, Nix has faced plenty of adversity and much criticism due to his inconsistent play on the road. This weekend in Happy Valley, though, could be the defining moment of Bo Nix throughout his Auburn football career.

Thus far in the 2021 season, Nix has been efficient, effective, & confident as he has led the Tigers to a 2-0 start with wins over Akron and Alabama State. Nix has completed over 74% of his passes for over 350 yards, while having 5 passing TDs and zero INTs thus far.

This weekend will be the biggest test for Nix, because Nix is accustomed to performing at a high level within the confines of Jordan-Hare Stadium, but the narrative changes once the Tigers go on the road.

Throughout his career, Nix has only completed 53.8% of his passes on the road, which is a steep drop from his 62.2% completion rate inside Jordan-Hare. Nix also struggles with turnovers on the road, in which he has thrown 10 INTs on the road compared to only 3 INTs while playing at home. The struggles came to a head last season in Columbia, in which Nix threw 3 INTs in an upset loss to South Carolina last season.

Since Nix has been the starting QB, the Tigers have won only 5 of their 12 road/neutral site games. If the Tigers want to challenge for the SEC Championship, then Nix and the Tigers have to find ways to win on the road against elite teams.

Nix & the Tigers will take the field at 6:30pm/CT in Happy Valley at one of the most hostile environments in the country. The Tigers are the underdogs this weekend and will be facing a defense who dominated Graham Mertz in Week 1 and forced 3 INTs in a huge win. This will be one of the toughest tests of the season for this Auburn offense and will set the tone for the rest of the season.

Bo Nix has done everything correct this offseason; from his confident appearance at SEC Media Days, to his impressive performances in Week 1-2, & Bryan Harsin has done nothing but speak on his confidence in Nix’s ability to win the game.

Nix’s career is at a crossroads this weekend and winning this game could solidify him as one of the best QBs to suit up in the orange & blue, but another letdown could tarnish his Auburn legacy.

The time is now for Bo Nix and if Auburn plans on pulling off a Top-10 upset, then Bo Nix has to show up and that is the key for the Auburn Tigers.