Week 6: Vanderbilt at Auburn

Need evidence that college football is a strange sport? Take a look at the Auburn Tigers, a team that lost at home to Mississippi State yet was good enough two weeks later to beat the powerful Florida Gators in Gainesville.

Naturally, you would think that a team that is good enough to win at Florida should have no trouble with Vanderbilt the following week, right? Well, that might not be the case.

The improved Commodores aren’t a threat to win the SEC East, but Bobby Johnson’s team is good enough to make Auburn sweat. The Commodores boast a talented (though inconsistent) quarterback in Chris Nickson and one of the nation’s top receivers in Earl Bennett. In four games, Bennett already has 37 catches for 468 yards and four touchdowns. The Dores also have some playmakers on defense, led by linebacker Jonathan Goff and safety Reshard Langford. Vanderbilt currently ranks 17th in the nation in total defense, allowing 279 yards per game. And while the schedule hasn’t been overly taxing, Vanderbilt did hold Ole Miss to a season-low 262 yards three weeks ago.

Auburn knows a little something about playing defense, as well. The Tigers have been remarkably steady, having allowed 320 yards or less in all but one game. And that one game was New Mexico State; the Aggies gained 379 yards, almost 100 less than their season average. Auburn will, however, be without its top defensive player this weekend. All-America end Quentin Groves dislocated three toes against Florida and will be out for at least one game. 

The Auburn offense has been a concern all season. The Tigers have failed to gain over 330 yards in any of their four games against BCS competition. Against Florida, Auburn managed 330 yards but had two long touchdown-scoring drives, and, most important, protected the football. After throwing two interceptions against Kansas State, South Florida and Mississippi State, Auburn’s quarterbacks (Brandon Cox, in this case) did not throw a pick vs. Florida.

Cox played the entire Florida game and will get the start this week. The Tigers’ running game, which has enjoyed sporadic success this season, will get a boost from the return of Brad Lester, who will be making his 2007 debut (academic issues). Ben Tate (410 yards) and Mario Fannin (267, 5.5 ypc) have been productive running the ball; Lester gives the backfield yet another option, though he might not see significant action this week.

Vanderbilt struggled to stop the run in a loss to Alabama but responded with a great effort against Ole Miss, limiting BenJarvus Green-Ellis to 66 yards on 21 carries. Stopping the run will be the Commodores’ top priority this Saturday. If they can slow down Auburn’s tailbacks and force Cox to make plays down the field, they will have an opportunity to steal a win at Jordan-Hare.

Auburn by 9