Everything You Need to Know About Auburn

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(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Georgia travels to The Plains this weekend to face the No. 18 Auburn Tigers. This will be the team’s second road SEC contest (if you count Vandy), but this is the first true road test for the No. 2 Bulldogs, as Jordan-Hare is one of the most hostile environments in the country.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Tigers leading up to the game:

Auburn is 4-1 (1-0 SEC) so far this season and sits in 2nd place in the SEC West. Their lone loss came to Penn State in week three and after surviving a scare from Georgia State, they beat LSU in Baton Rouge for the first time since 1999.

OFFENSE

The Tigers operate a very balanced offense. They like to spread the field, similarly to how Arkansas does, but they are more determined to pass than the Hogs. They generate 477 total yards per game; 17th best in the country. Bo Nix and company average 239 yards through the air and 238 on the ground. Like I said, very balanced. They rank 11th in 3rd down conversion percentage at 51.4% and 22nd in red zone offense at 93.8%.

Starting quarterback Bo Nix, despite being benched at the end of the Georgia State game, played very well against LSU. He’s completed 58.5% of his passes for 979 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. He is also dangerous with his legs, carrying the ball 25 times for 133 yards and 1 touchdown. That’s an average of 5.3 yards per carry.

If you don’t know about Tank Bigsby, you just haven’t been paying attention. But despite carrying the ball 74 times for 430 yards, 4 touchdowns, and an average of 5.8 yards per carry, he is actually not Auburn’s leading rusher. Jarquez Hunter has been the most productive back (in my opinion) in the Tigers’ stable, rushing for 447 yards in almost half the amount of carries as Bigsby. Hunter has also accumulated 3 touchdowns and an average of 10.6 yards per carry (and no, that’s not a typo).

Auburn’s leading pass catcher is tight-end John Samuel Shenker, who has caught the ball 18 times for 236 yards. He has yet to reach the endzone, but he has an average of 13.1 yards per reception.

DEFENSE

The defensive side of the ball isn’t too shabby either. They rank 23rd overall in total defense, only allowing 298 yards per game. They’re giving up 4.5 yards per play and are allowing 3rd down conversions on only 34.7% of attempts. The Tigers have a +2 turnover margin and have scored two touchdowns.

Their leading tacklers are linebackers Chandler Wooten and Zackoby McClain, who have 35 tackles each. The sack leaders are defensive ends T.D. Moultry and Derick Hall, who have 3 apiece. Roger McCreary holds down this secondary and has hauled in 2 interceptions so far.

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