Auburn Football: Ranking Tigers’ 2020 opponents by toughness

Expectations were lofty for Jimbo Fisher when he took the job at Texas A&M. Through two seasons, he hasn’t met them.

However, after a brutal 2019 slate that included dates with Clemson, Georgia, and Oklahoma State, along with the usual suspects in the SEC West, Aggie fans have yet to show palpable anger yet. This third year will be  the “prove-it” season in College Station.

Eight starters return on both the offense and defense. At quarterback, Kellen Mond is now a senior. He accounted for 28 total touchdowns a season ago, but many felt he didn’t show the kind of progression he should have in year two in the Jimbo Fisher offense. Mond’s completion percentage rose in 2019, but he saw drops in yardage, touchdown passes, yards per completion, and passer rating.

The pressure is immense for the Aggies this season. Pressure can break teams, but it can also make diamonds. It’ll be intriguing to see which way things break in College Station.

LSU has so much to replace all over the roster. Joe Burrow is gone, along  with both coordinators in Joe Brady and Dave Aranda. Plenty of other spots on the roster have to be replaced as well, including those of Patrick Queen, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and Thaddeus Moss. Even with that turnover, a trip to Death Valley in November will be anything but easy for Auburn.

Per 247Sports, 63 percent of LSU’s roster were four or five star recruits, the fifth best percentage in the nation. Even with all the transition the Tigers must undergo, they’re still one of the country’s most talented teams.

The leader of this team will be safety Derek Stingley Jr. Former Oklahoma star wideout CeeDee Lamb called Stingley the best corner he’s ever faced, and the Tiger defensive back is definitely an early favorite for the Jim Thorpe Award in 2020.

This game now falls just a week before the Iron Bowl, only adding to the magnitude of November for Auburn.