Auburn Football: Game-by-game predictions for Tigers in 2018
After a great 2018 college football season that once again sees amazing regular season match-ups and performances here are my final four teams for the College Football Playoff:
- THE Ohio State Buckeyes 13-0
- Clemson Tigers 13-0
- Auburn Tigers 12-1
- Boise State Broncos 13-0
I do believe the Alabama Crimson Tide get left out because Boise State not only finishes undefeated, but they knock off Troy, Oklahoma State, Wyoming, San Diego State, Fresno State and Utah State to get there. There’s too much conversation from Mike Leach, Scott Frost, and others about expanding the playoff and the committee is going to feel the pressure to allow an undefeated Group of 5 program into the hunt.
THE Ohio State will beat the Broncos in the Orange Bowl while the Tigers will face each other in the Cotton Bowl. Clemson returns one of the strongest if not the strongest two-deep in the country. The Tigers won’t be truly tested until the ACC Championship Game showdown with the Miami Hurricanes and they won’t win that as easily as 2017 but they will knock off the ‘Canes again. Auburn will be coming off games against Georgia (twice) and the Crimson Tide in recent weeks leading up to the semifinal.
The Clemson Tigers offense will be led by Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne. With a more efficient quarterback, Dabo Swinney‘s offense will improve from 45th per the S&P+ in 2017. Lawrence will be more accurate and the five-star top-rated prospect from the 2018 class will have a Jake Fromm like effect on the Clemson squad. Clemson also returns two starting offensive linemen and receiver Hunter Renfrow. I think Auburn can stop the Clemson offense but can Auburn score on the Tigers defense?
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Auburn will have to find ways to score against Clemson and I could see this being quite like the 2017 semifinal of Oklahoma and Georgia. Both teams will put up yards and points but the Auburn tricks will wear off and Clemson’s elite defense led by coordinator Brent Venables will shut down the Auburn offense. Clemson’s defensive line and linebackers will prove to be too much.