There's a new man in charge of Auburn football as interim head coach DJ Durkin takes the Tigers into No. 16 Vanderbilt on Saturday after taking over for Hugh Freeze, who was dismissed after 34 games at the helm.
When it comes to the Commodores, you have to start with quarterback Diego Pavia, who has beaten Auburn the last two years with two different teams, Vanderbilt and New Mexico State. Clark Lea's squad is coming off a disappointing loss at Texas, in which a late comeback fell just short.
Durkin will try to rally the Tigers after a humiliating 10-3 loss to Kentucky, which marked the end of the Freeze era.
Vanderbilt is currently a 6.5-point favorite over the Tigers. Here is how our team sees the game playing out.
Mary Kate Hughes
I think this game is hard to predict because while I expect the team, especially the defense, to rally around DJ Durkin, I'm still not positive that Auburn's offense can do enough to win the game. How will Ashton Daniels play with Derrick Nix as the sole play caller? There are a few question marks, but there is no doubt that the defense will be fired up for this game.
Vanderbilt 17, Auburn 10
Jack Cottrell
Auburn has little left to gain in 2025. Under the new leadership of DJ Durkin, the Tigers need to turn a corner offensively and win two of their three remaining games in order to qualify for a bowl game. While Ashton Daniels has been named the starter for Saturday's matchup, I wouldn't be surprised to see Deuce Knight receive some situational snaps. Regardless, Vanderbilt has looked strong this year and will prove to be difficult to beat.
Vanderbilt 21, Auburn 10
Brian Stultz
There's no question that the Tigers' defense will be energized and ready to take on Diego Pavia after last year's defeat and the promotion of their coordinator to interim head coach. With that, they won't want to let DJ Durkin down, but realistically, how many points can Auburn score against the Commodores? I'm thinking not many, as neither quarterback has instilled confidence that they can get the job done.
Vanderbilt 23, Auburn 10