Auburn travels to College Station, Texas, for the Tigers' second straight road game to battle No. 9 Texas A&M on Saturday. Hugh Freeze's squad is coming off a disappointing and controversial 24-17 loss to Oklahoma in Auburn's conference opener and looks to rebound with an upset victory over the Aggies.
Mike Elko's team is 3-0 after a last-second victory at Notre Dame two weeks ago. Quarterback Marcel Reid leads the Aggies' offense, passing for 869 yards and nine touchdowns to just one interception.
The Tigers and Aggies kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT, with the game airing on ESPN. Here are our team's predictions for how the game goes down.
Mary Kate Hughes
I think Auburn will struggle more with TAMU's offense than Oklahoma's, due to Marcel Reed and some talented receivers. However, on the flip side, I think the Tigers will be able to run the ball more effectively. I think playing at Kyle Field is a big challenge, and I'm still waiting for the Tigers to prove that they can make things happen and find a way to win when it comes down to it.
Texas A&M 31, Auburn 24
Jack Cottrell
Auburn looked strong against Oklahoma. While I believe the Sooners are overrated (currently ranked #7 in the AP poll), Jackson Arnold was able to utilize key pieces, such as the phenomenal wide receiver Cam Coleman, and keep the game within reach until the final drive.
However, there were glaring issues with Auburn's performance. Jackson Arnold continues to hold the ball for too long after the snap, and Oklahoma's defense didn't allow him to scramble as Baylor's did. The Tigers' offensive line was overpowered by the Sooners' defense. In all, Arnold was sacked a whopping ten times on Saturday.
I expect Texas A&M to take advantage of Auburn's weak secondary. With the Aggies' passing offense ranking 16th in the nation (compared to Auburn's ranking 102nd), it's easy to see the Tigers becoming overwhelmed by Heisman frontrunner Marcel Reed. And, with A&M's sack allowance ranking 15th in the nation (compared to the Tigers' horrendous 130th ranking), it's clear that Auburn's linebackers will struggle to reach the Aggies' signal caller.
Auburn's performance will likely be determined by its utilization of running back Jeremiah Cobb, who currently ranks 2nd for total rushing yards in the SEC. With Texas A&M's rushing defense ranking so low (72nd in the nation), it's clear that Aggie linebackers will struggle to stop Auburn's running game.
Texas A&M 35, Auburn 27
Brian Stultz
After such a frustrating loss last Saturday in Norman, can the Tigers turn their attention away from that and the task at hand? If so, this game should go down to who can be effective in the fourth quarter. Auburn's offensive line wasn't precisely good last week, but Jackson Arnold needs to learn to get rid of the ball after four seconds, or else the sacks will keep on coming.
The Tigers' defense is stout against the run and will likely make Reid win the game with his arm. As he showed at Notre Dame, he can do just that.
Texas A&M 30, Auburn 24