As the Tigers prowl into Jordan-Hare this weekend, a team that began the season with numerous questions is still trying to find the answers.
Auburn is 0-2 this season after losses to Clemson and Mississippi State and is looking to avoid a third straight loss before they reach the meat of the conference schedule.
What would normally be considered a cupcake game has had the stakes raised by their opponent's stunning upset of then-No. 8 Arkansas last week.
The Warhawks overcame a 21-point deficit in the third quarter and won the game 34-31 in overtime, the first time a Sun Belt Conference team has defeated a top 10 team. Now they look to play the spoiler at Auburn.
Auburn is a 17-point favorite to defeat ULM, but Gene Chizik, for one, is not taking the game lightly.
"This was not fluke, this is a good football team," Chizik said Monday, Sept. 10. "Certainly us being 0-2 right now, the level of urgency for the week is definitely high, but it's high all the time. They understand right now that this is not a game that we're going to walk in and it's going to be a blowout, and that's good for our team."
Despite Arkansas' 31 points, the Warhawks' defense terrorized its opponent's offense, shutting down running backs Knile Davis and Dennis Johnson, and knocking starting quarterback Tyler Wilson out of the game with a barrage of pressure.
After watching the film, Chizik is wary of the threat ULM poses to Auburn's porous offensive line.
"Schematically it's very challenging," Chizik said. "Their defense is kind of like dealing with an option offense. The last two or three years they've been tops in their league in rush defense, so it's hard to run the football. Then they get after you, really dialing in on the pass protection and getting to your quarterback."
Auburn has allowed four sacks so far this season and countless hurries, giving quarterback Kiehl Frazier little time to go through his progressions.
After the loss to Mississippi State, Frazier said he was continuously watching the defensive line and that he made mistakes on approximately 75 percent of his passes.
According to Chizik, however, the team's problems are not only his to bear.
"I would say that's a young guy putting a lot of pressure on himself and wanting to shoulder the blame, because he feels like he can play better," Chizik said. "It's a team game, and Kiehl is one of many that want, and need, to play better, but we've got to coach better."
And yet, for a team that recorded 550 yards of offense - 481 from quarterback Kolton Browning- it may be the offense Chizik has to worry about most.
Browning had 412 yards passing and 69 yards rushing, including a 16-yard touchdown scamper on fourth-and-one in overtime to win the game.
"The thing that he does really really well is he makes plays with his feet, and I don't mean carrying the ball," Chizik said. "It's not just running the ball; he buys a lot of time with his feet, giving receivers time to get open."
Auburn is not lacking experience, though.
Onterio McCalebb had four carries for 56 yards and a touchdown when the teams last met in 2010, and senior wide receiver Emory Blake had a 94-yard catch for a touchdown. That catch
still stands as Auburn's longest play from scrimmage in history.
One notable roster move was the team's decision to switch defensive back Robenson Therezie to running back, although it's unknown how much he'll play.
The game is set for 11:21 a.m. at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
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.
