Ask Farrell: Does Auburn have a shot at the SEC title game?
When the college football season started, Auburn coach Gus Malzahn was on the hot seat. It wasn’t the first time he was there and it might not be his last but there was definitely some discussion that he needed to right the ship and do it quickly.
He has so far this season.
Auburn is coming off an impressive 28-20 win at Texas A&M this past weekend and the Tigers started the season by beating a tricky Oregon team - even if it didn’t always look pretty - and then beating a tough Tulane squad before obliterating lowly Kent State leading up to the Aggie matchup.
The schedule does not get much easier from here in the SEC with Mississippi State to end the month and then at Florida to start October. Then Auburn goes to LSU in late October, hosts Georgia in mid-November and then has Alabama at home to end the regular season.
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That’s a gauntlet. But Malzahn’s team has proven its mettle so far in two big wins over the Ducks and the Aggies -- both away from home -- and the more experience former five-star quarterback and freshman Bo Nix gets, the better he could be prepared for those situations.
Auburn’s rush defense has been spectacular this year and the pass defense has been solid as well. Nix hasn’t been off the charts, but certainly serviceable as the offense still hasn’t had a breakout performance against an elite team.
Ranked seventh in the country, Auburn still has three games against teams ranked higher than it in the polls, which is just an incredibly tough haul.
FARRELL'S TAKE
Is Auburn for real and can the Tigers make the SEC Championship Game or is the schedule simply too tough and wins over Oregon and Texas A&M don’t look all that impressive right now? We ask Rivals National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell.
“Auburn is for real and the main reason for that is the defensive line and the ability to run on offense. With a freshman quarterback in Nix, you have to limit the offensive game plan a little, but but he mobility and smarts really helps. But to me it’s the defense that stands out and that makes Auburn for real.
"But the schedule is a problem. The Tigers still have Alabama and LSU in their own division and those out of division games against Florida and Georgia will be tough. As good as Auburn is and as impressive as it is to boast on two wins over Oregon and A&M early, it’s going to be very hard to get through this schedule. I guess my answer is two-fold — yes they are real but no they won’t be able to get through the schedule and get to the SEC title game.”