Auburn Football: Game-by-game predictions for Tigers in 2018

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 02: Head coach Gus Malzahn of the Auburn Tigers on the field prior to the game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 02: Head coach Gus Malzahn of the Auburn Tigers on the field prior to the game against the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) /

Week three is a much different story than week two. Auburn hosts the LSU Tigers for week three to kick off SEC play. LSU enters the 2018 season as the S&P+ pre-season 16th ranked team and has another new offensive coordinator in long-time assistant coach Steve Ensminger. Coach Ensminger promises a more up-tempo, spread out, run-pass option based offensive scheme but fans down in Death Valley have been promised that for a while. LSU will have to replace running back Derrius Guice.

The LSU offense only returns five starters from last season’s 42nd-ranked offense. At this point, LSU still hasn’t settled entirely on a starting quarterback but they do have Ohio State grad transfer Joe Burrow in the lead for the starting position. LSU will come into the game with a 1-1 record and Auburn will be undefeated.

The Auburn defense should be just as powerful and fast as Miami’s and the ‘Canes will be able to shut down the Bayou Tigers offense. Gus Malzahn’s offensive scheme will be tested once again by LSU speed on defense. The Tigers return only five starters there, too. Yet it seems that LSU always manages a solid defense and finished 2017 ranked 18th per the S&P+.

Auburn’s offense and defense will be too much to handle in what will be an underwhelming season for LSU and Coach Orgeron.

Final: Auburn 34 (3-0, 1-0 SEC) – LSU 17