Auburn Football: Can Tigers pull it together against Mississippi State?
Auburn football looks to figure out their ground game against a struggling Mississippi State team. Can the Tigers finally get the rushing attack going?
The Auburn Tigers are struggling this year in something they are usually so well known for – running the ball. Auburn’s ground game is averaging 178.6 yards per game which is their lowest seasonal average since 2012 when they averaged 148.4.
Part of this goes on the inconsistency of start in the backfield with Kam Martin, Shaun Shivers, and JaTarvious Whitlow all drawing starts in five weeks. The other issue is an injured offensive line that doesn’t quite have the depth to really open things up for the Tigers.
Kam Martin is a bit undersized compared to most Auburn backs but, in the two games he’s gotten a substantial number of carries, he’s done fairly well for himself with 80 yards against Washington and 90 against Southern Mississippi. JaTarvious Whitlow is averaging over five yards per carry and had the best rushing performance of any Auburn back against Alabama State with 122.
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The problem with Whitlow is that he’s likely to miss this contest due to a shoulder injury. Can Gus Malzahn figure out a long-term solution to the rushing problem on the line or in the backfield?
Auburn’s defense is actually what seems to be winning them games this season. They are currently allowing 304.6 yards per game with the 15th most sacks nationally. The Tigers are also tied for eighth nationally in turnovers with 11 total turnovers.
Mississippi State had to be one of the most disappointing teams in all of college football. Out of all the teams of the initial top 25 preseason rankings, Mississippi State is currently tied with Florida State for the worst record, 3-2.
Now, 3-2 isn’t necessarily bad considering they have a good offense, right? Wrong. The Bulldogs are currently averaging 219 rushing yards per game which most teams would be happy with. The problem is that they are down from 251.69 yards a season ago with virtually the entire rushing attack back.
The key contributor to this issue is quarterback Nick Fitzgerald who suffered a gruesome knee injury last season and just hasn’t looked the same. Fitzgerald averaged over six yards per carry in each of the last two seasons but is now just barely over four. His passing yards per attempt has decreased every season he’s played and his completion percentage this season is on the wrong side of 50. Can Fitzgerald get the job done in bigger games? or Is it time for a change?
Date: Saturday, Oct. 6
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Starkville, MS
Venue: Davis Wade Stadium
TV: ESPN2
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Players to Watch
Auburn
- QB, Jarrett Stidham
- LB, Deshaun Davis
- RB, Kam Martin
- DB, Daniel Thomas and Jeremiah Dinson
Mississippi State
- QB, Nick Fitzgerald
- RB, Aeris Williams and Kylin Hill
- DB, Johnathan Abram
- LB, Eroll Thompson
Keys to Victory
Auburn just needs to figure out a solution at running back. The defense is one of the best in the nation and won’t have problems holding the running game of Mississippi State at bay while making Fitzgerald throw the ball. The running game for Auburn must do something without JaTarvious Whitlow so that the game doesn’t solely rest on Jarrett Stidham. The offensive line isn’t great and one thing that Mississippi State does have is a good front seven. Just run the ball effectively enough to balance the offensive out. The defense itself will take care of the rest.
Nick Fitzgerald has to be able to throw a forward pass. If he’s not going to run like we’ve seen him run over the past several seasons then he needs to be able to complete most of the passes he throws. There are bodies in the receiving game like Stephen Guidry who was supposed to be an instant improvement to the passing game but he only has 10 receptions this season. The front seven can hold the run at bay but can Fitzgerald do anything offensively? If not, Keytaon Thompson must make an appearance.
Betting Odds
Presented by OddsShark
Points Spread: Auburn -3.5
Over/Under: 44
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Prediction
Mississippi State has no shot at winning this game with Nick Fitzgerald at quarterback. He can’t run like he could before the injury and he has never been able to pass all that efficiently. Auburn won’t rack up points on the Bulldogs but the will win and beat the spread.
Final Score: Auburn 27, Mississippi State 16