Auburn will look to cap off the 2019 season with a win against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day. The Tigers will be making their fifth appearance all-time in the bowl coming into the game with a 2-2 record. This is the first meeting between the Tigers and the Golden Gophers.
Players to watch
Derrick Brown/Marlon Davidson:
It will be one last game in an Auburn uniform for Auburn’s dominant defensive line anchors. In their four years at Auburn Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson have combined for 30 sacks, 337 tackles and eight fumble recoveries.
The two not only make a great duo on the field but off it as well. During SEC Media Day, Davidson mentioned that the two share an apartment in Auburn and later this season the pair would routinely joke around calling each other “fat." This season, Brown and Davidson began a friendly competition to see who could win the most SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week awards with Davidson winning 4-3.
Bo Nix:
While Auburn might be wrapping up the 2019 season in 2020, a win could go far in helping Auburn get ready offensively for the 2020 season. Bo Nix could be one of the most veteran quarterbacks in the SEC in 2020 based on playing time. A solid performance in the Outback Bowl will help Nix keep the momentum going into the 2020 season.
The Golden Gophers this season are allowing an average of 184.91 yards through the air. Nix will need to be careful when passing as Minnesota has 14 interceptions on the season including three against Penn State. Nix’s first season began against a non-conference team at a neutral site and now it will end the same.
Auburn’s secondary:
The Golden Gophers have two 1,000-yard receivers on their team in Rashod Bateman and Tyler Johnson. Auburn’s secondary is no stranger to going up against 1,000-yard receivers this season facing three total.
The Tigers secondary matched up well against Alabama’s Devonta Smith, holding him to five receptions for 80 yards. Smith’s regular-season receiving average was 100 yards a game. Against LSU’s Justin Jefferson, Auburn held him to 60 yards receiving, Jefferson’s regular-season average was 91 yards.
Lastly, in the same game against Jefferson, Auburn struggled a bit, allowing LSU’s second 1,000-yard receiver in Ja’Marr Chase to log eight receptions for 123 yards. Chase finished the regular-season with an average of 132 yards per game.
Rashod Bateman/Tyler Johnson:
Minnesota’s two 1,000-yard receivers both finished the season on the All-Big Ten First Team as voted on by the league’s coaches. Individually, sophomore wideout Bateman took home the conference’s receiver of the year award.
This season, the two wideouts are both averaging over 90 yards receiving and have combined for 22 touchdowns. The duo has combined for 2,284 receiving yards while quarterback Tanner Morgan has thrown for 2,975 on the season meaning that just 691 yards did not go to either wideout.
Antoine Winfield Jr.:
The redshirt sophomore defensive back is fourth in the nation and leads the Golden Gophers with seven interceptions on the season. Against Penn State Antoine Winfield Jr. had two interceptions in the win, his second multi-interception game of the season. Winfield Jr. also leads the team in total tackles with 80 on the season.
Winfield Jr.’s play this season helped earn him a spot on the All-Big Ten defensive First Team as voted on by the league’s coaches. He also won the conference’s defensive back of the year award.
Rodney Smith:
Minnesota doesn’t just get the job done through the air, as the Golden Gophers also have a 1,000-yard running back in Rodney Smith. The senior back finished the regular season with 1,094 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 212 carries.
Smith struggled in Minnesota’s final game of the season against Wisconsin, where he rushed for 31 yards on 11 attempts. The senior will be looking to help establish the run against an Auburn defense that ranks 20th in the nation allowing an average of 115.5 yards per game.
Key’s to victory
Auburn:
- Limit the passing game
Minnesota is a team that likes to throw the football, averaging 251.2 yards through the air per game. Even in Minnesota’s two losses this season, the Golden Gophers threw for an average of 332 yards.
This season, Auburn is allowing an average of 208.4 yards through the air. If Auburn can slow down the passing attack, that should give them a good chance for success against the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota:
- Stop Auburn’s defensive line from getting pressure.
If Minnesota wants to be successful against Auburn’s defense especially in the passing game, they will need to give Tanner Morgan time to make his throws. Morgan has shown that he can handle taking hits as he has been sacked 30 times this season but to be successful against Auburn’s defense, he will need to stay upright.
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