Week three on the Plains will feature the rematch of last year’s matchup between Auburn and No. 22 Penn State, and the Tigers will be looking for revenge in front of their home faithful.
Last year, the Nittany Lions scored a home victory, 28-20, over the Tigers in front of a lively, white-out crowd. This year, Auburn will look to return the favor and stay undefeated.
Penn State is coming off a good performance against the Ohio Bobcats, toppling the Bobcats 46-10 while putting up a total of 572 yards on offense, with 338 coming from the air and 234 on the ground.
The Nittany Lions’ passing attack so far this season has been effective, led by a senior quarterback in Sean Clifford. They are averaging 323 passing yards a game with seven touchdowns on the year, negated by only one interception. This has opened up their running game to rush for an average of five yards per carry.
While Auburn has started out with wins against its first two opponents of the season, its last game versus San Jose State didn't come without a fight. Auburn struggled early on offense, with the first four possessions ending in a punt or a turnover.
The Tigers have gone with Finley and Ashford as a interchangeable duo at QB in both games thus far. Both QBs threw interceptions early last week, the only turnovers of the game.
However, Finley stepped up in the second half and took care of the ball. He finished the game 13-of-20 on passing attempts for 167 yards, and Ashford was rarely seen in the second half and only completed one pass in the game.
Players to Watch
Auburn
Running Backs
Look for the tandem of junior Tank Bigsby and sophomore Jarquez Hunter. Together, they have put up 273 yards rushing on 45 carries through two weeks of football.
Last year against Penn State, Bigsby tallied over 100 yards and two TDs, and Hunter added 63 yards on nine carries. Expect the duo Bigsby and Hunter to cause problems for the Nittany Lions defense, but don't forget about true freshman Damari Alston either.
T.J. Finley (QB)
Finley has had struggles with interceptions, with three on the year, but if the junior can continue his momentum and rhythm in the Tigers’ passing game from last week’s performance in the second half against San Jose State, he should have a strong outing. This is Finley's chance to secure the starting job at QB against a good, experienced Penn State secondary.
Derrick Hall (Edge)
In last year’s game against Penn State, Hall had five total tackles and one tackle for loss. The Tigers didn’t record a sack that game, but the senior captain is looking to change that this year. Expect Hall and the Tigers’ defense to get pressure on Clifford.
Penn State
Joey Porter Jr. (DB)
The junior defensive back is off to a hot start this year with three pass deflections and nine solo tackles. Porter is proving himself to be one of the top corners in the nation. He will pose as a big challenge for the Auburn receivers.
Sean Clifford (QB)
In Penn State’s first away game, the Cincinnati, Ohio native threw for 282 yards with four passing touchdowns against the Purdue Boilermakers. He is coming into his fourth year as Penn State's QB, and he has been with the Nittany Lions since 2018. He is experienced, knows his way around the pocket and is willing to stand in and take hits.
Parker Washington (WR)
Washington was targeted eight times with 49 receiving yards against the Tigers in their previous matchup. The sophomore wide receiver could be set to have a breakout season -- especially since Clifford is still behind center for the Nittany Lions.
Keys to Victory
Auburn
This is Auburn’s chance to prove themselves this season and gain confidence moving forward. The Tigers had a rough start to the first half of the previous week but finished strong behind the performance of Finley. Offensive balance will be a crucial component of this game for both teams.
The Tigers need to find their rhythm early throwing the football without straying away from their strong running game. The running backs might be crucial in the passing game as well, giving the QBs easy completions and turning them into solid gains.
Defensively, the Tigers will have to disrupt Clifford's timing and force turnovers. They can't allow him to get out of the pocket and extend plays. If they do, Clifford knows how to get in a groove and use methodical drives to frustrate a defense.
Clifford isn't a big threat with his legs, as he has run for just 16 yards on 12 attempts thus far this season, so if Hall and Eku Leota can get to him off the edge it might be a field day for the Auburn defensive line.
Finally, for Auburn to win this weekend, it will need to stay disciplined and get the home-field momentum going early. Auburn committed nine penalties for 85 yards last week.
Penn State
The key for Penn State will be throwing the ball and taking advantage of a struggling Auburn secondary. The Tigers have allowed an average of 236 through the air and a passer rating of 120.1. As long as the Nittany Lions keep Clifford’s pocket clean, they should have plenty of opportunities to air it out.
The Nittany Lions have to stay focused and not allow the hostile environment get to them. This isn’t their first game on the road, but it is their only SEC opponent of the year. Penn State needs to silence the crowd early and control the time of possession.
The Penn State defense needs to eliminate the Tigers’ rushing attack and force them to make quick throws. This will take away the majority of Auburn’s offensive production.
Auburn will face its first ranked opponent of the season on Saturday, September 17th, at 2:30 p.m. CST. It will be broadcast on CBS.
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Jac Myrick is a journalism major from Talladega, Alabama. This is his second year at the Plainsman after joining in the fall of 2022.
