As the Tigers head into Sanford Stadium later today to take on the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, our sports staff answered a few questions on Auburn's 2-3 start to the 2024 season and their outlook on the final seven games of the regular season.
What are your overall thoughts on Auburn football after five straight home games?
Patrick Bingham, Sports Editor: "They've certainly shown glimpses of improvement but the best teams know how to finish and win football games and that seems to be the hurdle at this point in the season.
"I would expect the Tigers to continue to improve throughout 2024 and likely look far better than they did last year or during these first five games. The problem is that might not show up in the overall record given Auburn's upcoming opponents and the hole they have already dug themselves into at this point."
Grace Heim, Assistant Sports Editor: "Auburn had every advantage in starting the season with five straight home games, but managed a 2-3 record, largely due to turnovers. At this point, I feel like I am beating a dead horse, but if Auburn is going to win a game in the month of October, it’s going to have to play cleaner football."
Logan Fowler, Sports Reporter: "Most everyone expected Auburn to be 5-0 or 4-1 after starting the season off with five straight home games, but it found a way to shoot itself in the foot in every game thus far. The Tigers are just a few key plays away from being 5-0 heading into October, but ultimately, a bad team is going to find a way to lose a game it should win and that's what Auburn has done in its three losses."
Going on the road in the SEC is always tough, especially when facing multiple top-10 teams. What do you expect to see from Auburn on the road in the month of October?
Patrick Bingham, Sports Editor: "I genuinely think Auburn will play well in each matchup of this roadtrip. The key, as it's been all season, is if Auburn can make the right plays at the right time and avoid the costly turnovers in big time situations. If so, they could possibly pull off an upset or two. If not, the Tigers could be seriously limping back into Jordan-Hare Stadium next month."
Grace Heim, Assistant Sports Editor: "The pessimist in me wants to say that Auburn will not win a game in the month of October, but I am going to be slightly optimistic and say that the Tigers pick up at least one road win. All trends end eventually, and I expect Auburn’s turnover trend to at least be managed by mid-October. The Auburn defense has proved it can hang in tough contests and the offense has shown some silver-linings. If the Tigers can put the pieces together, they should be able to find a win on the road somewhere."
Logan Fowler, Sports Reporter: "I will never say never in college football, but I don't see Auburn picking up a win on the road this month. As bas as it needs to, it won't happen. All of the games, even Georgia, are winnable games and could very much go in the Tigers favor, but until I see Auburn prove it can close out a game that it should with a win, I'll pick three straight losses for the Tigers in October. "
What are your current thoughts on the offense?
Patrick Bingham, Sports Editor: "Even when Auburn isn't giving the ball to the other team, the Tigers have struggled to get the ball into the end zone in meaningful moments. Auburn's performance against a strong Oklahoma defense inspires some hope but the Tigers are certainly about to find out what they are made of during these next three weeks."
Grace Heim, Assistant Sports Editor: "While Auburn’s offense has had a major turnover problem, there have been plenty of positives. The Tigers move the ball well on the ground and have done well with yards per play. Hugh Freeze is sticking to his system, and if the offense can put themselves in a position to execute plays, especially RPOs, they should have no problem moving the ball. But as it continues, the Tigers have to fix their turnover problem first."
Logan Fowler, Sports Reporter: " Auburn's offense has been up and down through five games, mostly due to the quarterback play. Statistically, Auburn's offense is one of the most explosive offenses in the country - eighth in the country in yards per play - but where are the points? Obviously, they have been plagued by turnovers through the first five games, but the stats show that the Tigers should be scoring at a higher clip. KeAndre Lambert-Smith has been a bright spot for the Tigers thus far, and Jarquez Hunter is on track to have his best season in orange and blue. Overall, it's an improved group from a year ago, but in order to find success they'll need to cut down on the turnovers and see better decision-making from the quarterback position. "
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