This season, The Plainsman will make staff picks of Auburn's weekly matchups. Also look for our selections for the national showdowns in the "Plainsman Pick 'Em" section in the print edition of our publication.
Here are our picks for Southern Miss at No. 10 Auburn (3 p.m. CST, SEC Network).
Nathan King, sports editor:
Gus Malzahn doesn't usually repeat poor offensive showings in back-to-back weeks.
Southern Miss boasts an effective defense through four weeks, albeit against lowly competition. The Tigers should get rolling early behind an altered gameplan with quarterback Jarrett Stidham. That plan should include more short routes to keep the pocket clean.
If things don't change, there's reason for concern. I expect second- and third-teamers to see the field by the third quarter, flashing the future of Auburn's offense and defense.
Prediction: Auburn 52, Southern Miss 14.
Tyler Roush, assistant sports editor:
Southern Miss might be a better team than Arkansas, and despite a blowout victory at home for Auburn, the Razorbacks questioned the Tigers' ability on offense.
With an offensive line needing a progressive game, Auburn will need to show that it has the ability to score as a top-10 team. These Golden Eagles have an impressive offense, so I wouldn't be surprised with a close first-quarter score.
It's inside Jordan-Hare Stadium and I expect Auburn, much like its fans, to start rolling.
Prediction: Auburn 38, Southern Miss 10.
Zach Tantillo, sports reporter:
After a less than exciting offensive showing, Auburn will look to fine tune some things against Southern Miss before heading into the meat of its schedule. The game won't be a cake walk though because the Southern Miss team that will step onto the field Saturday is arguably more talented than Arkansas. The Golden Eagles are ranked inside the top 30 among total offenses in the country.
The Tigers have a history of getting hot during this time of year, so I don't see Auburn coming close to dropping this one.
Prediction: Auburn 47, Southern Miss 13.
Jake Wright, sports writer:
Auburn is looking to perform better on offense after last weeks showing against Arkansas. The Hogs actually outgunned Auburn 290 to 225. The offensive line looked like it regressed. It is crucial for this unit to mesh before the bulk of SEC play continues.
Southern Miss is a good group of five team and could possibly be a better team than Arkansas. Auburn is too talented and will not lose this game, but it could be closer than many think. Southern Miss won't be able to score on Auburn, so it will depend upon if the offense can click. I think that Auburn will hit on several big plays to pull away in the early portion of the second half.
Prediction: Auburn 31, Southern Miss 6.
Sumner Martin, sports writer:
No. 10 Auburn enters the fifth week of the season 3-1, and last week defeated Arkansas 34-3 for their first SEC win, but don't let the record fool you. This team is no where near clicking on all cylinders.
Auburn's offensive woes have started to resurface. Against the Razorbacks, the Tigers managed just 225 yards of total offense and were carried by the performances of the defense and special teams. Without a few turnovers and a kickoff return, the final score looks very different.
Southern Miss, unlike Arkansas, has an offense capable of pulling an upset so Auburn may find themselves in a close game in the second half if they don't start to get Jarrett Stidham, and the offense rolling. The Tigers should handle Southern Miss at home but shouldn't overlook a high-powered Eagles offense, that will present two quarterbacks in Jack Abraham and Kwadra Griggs.
Expect Southern Miss to come out firing early, and keep it close in the first half. After halftime however, the Auburn running game, lead by JaTarvious "Boobee" Whitlow, and the Tiger defense should wear down the Eagles inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Prediction: Auburn 38, Southern Miss 17.
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