Auburn Football: Game-by-game predictions for Tigers in 2018
The Auburn Tigers finally hit the road and travel to Starkville, MS to face the new-look Mississippi State Bulldogs. Former Penn State offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead is the new head coach at MSU. The Bulldogs enter 2018 as the S&P+’s 14th ranked program. This is going to be one of the most fun but underrated games of the 2018 season.
The Tigers will enter the game undefeated and need to adjust to life on the road. The Bulldogs should enter the game with a 5-0 record of their own if Nick Fitzgerald is healthy after an Egg Bowl injury. The Bulldogs are so highly ranked in the pre-season because they return nine starters on offense and have hired an offensive genius in Coach Moorhead. Even with Fitzgerald healthy Dan Mullen only had the 63rd-ranked offense per the S&P+ in 2017 and Moorhead will improve upon that.
The Auburn defense will see their biggest test since Washington against MSU. By week six Kevin Steele will have found his pass rushers and ball hawks and have this defense ready to face the best of the SEC.
The Auburn offense will run into seven returning starters on the Bulldogs defense. Defensive coordinator Bob Shoop inherits the nation’s 19th-ranked defense. Stidham will have to be accurate and careful with the football against safety Mark McLaurin and his six interceptions from a year ago. The offensive line will be tested by Montez Sweat‘s 10.5 sacks. Gus Malzahn will have to earn his new paycheck against the Bulldogs.