The Auburn Tigers are 4-0 for the second straight year and back in the top 10 for the first time since Sept. 14, 2008.
A week ago I was skeptical about how this team would react to adversity, but this Tiger team has proven to be resilient.
The Tigers fought back from double digits in consecutive games, making it the first time since 1970 that Auburn had two wins in the same season in which they had to overcome double digit deficits.
Head coach Gene Chizik challenged the offensive line to play physically against the Gamecocks, and that's exactly what he got.
Auburn dominated the running game, rushing for 334 yards against the Southeastern Conference's leading rush defense.
Auburn's defense, led by senior defensive lineman Mike Blanc, stepped up as well.
The Tigers held the Gamecocks to only 79 rushing yards and forced turnovers on each of South Carolina's last four possessions.
Following the 35-27 win, junior quarterback Cameron Newton was named Southeastern Conference's Offensive Player of the Week while Mike Blanc was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week.
Along with top offensive honors, Newton was also named National Player of the Week by Rivals.com and added to the Manning Award watch list.
It is the fourth consecutive week an Auburn player was named the league's top offensive or defensive player.
This week the Tigers host to the Warhawks of Louisiana-Monroe.
Auburn should win this game without a problem as long as the Tigers come out and "do what they do."
If there is anything we've learned from college football the past few years, it is to never underestimate any opponent.
ULM is the only team to play a ranked opponent in its first game each of the past three seasons and is the last team to beat Alabama in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
ULM knocked off the Tide 21-14 Nov. 17, 2007.
The Warhawks held eight of their last 14 opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing and 11 of their 14 opponents below their season average.
Last year, the Warhawks tied a school high with six wins, but it wasn't enough to keep seven-year head coach Charlie Weatherbie around.
Todd Berry returns to ULM, this time as head coach.
Berry previously served as the Warhawks' offensive coordinator in 2004-05 and helped lead them to the 2005 Sun Belt Conference Championship.
ULM got its first win of the season last Saturday against the Southeastern Louisiana Lions.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Kolton Browning threw for 249 yards and rushed for 75.
Browning led his team in rushing for the second straight week after rushing for 83 yards on 18 carries last week against Arkansas State.
Browning's performance marked the first time since 2004 that a ULM quarterback led the team in rushing in consecutive games.
Other notable players include junior wide receiver Luther Ambrose and senior running back Frank Goodin.
Ambrose is the third fastest man in college athletics, finishing third at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 100-meter dash to earn All-America honors.
Ambrose ranks 16th in the NCAA with 163.3 all-purpose yards per game.
Running back Frank Goodin was named to the Doak Walker Award watch list and is currently second all-time ULM rushing and rushing touchdown list.
Goodin ranks 15th among active players in the NCAA with 2,606 career rushing yards and needs 773 yards to become ULM's all-time rush leader.
The Warhawks and the Tigers will meet for the eighth time in the series' history, with Auburn winning the previous seven.
The Tigers have delivered shutouts in the last two games and won the last three meetings by a combined score of 138-7.
ULM is 3-34-1 all-time in games against the SEC with wins against Alabama, Kentucky and Mississippi State.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
