A tough part of the season has come before the Auburn Tigers as they hit the road for the first of four games against ranked opponents in the month of October, fresh off of a win against the Vanderbilt Commodores.
The Tigers are facing off against the Tennessee Volunteers in Neyland Stadium, a place they have not played since 2013.
Since that 2013 game, Tennessee has built up a highly positive reputation and the atmosphere has become considerably more difficult.
That being said, there is a lot that Auburn will need to go in its favor in order to earn a victory on Saturday, and a lot of areas it has to control. The Auburn Undercover staff talked about what things the Tigers need to control most in order to make that win happen.
Question: A road environment can present a lot of challenges for a visiting team when the opponent is very talented. What does Auburn need to be able to control to be able to have success on Saturday against Tennessee?
Tyler Raley: To me, this feels simple—controlling the tempo. No matter what, Auburn is going to try and go fast. This is not an offense that likes to huddle and take time off the clock. However, with controlling tempo comes controlling emotions. If the Tigers get so upbeat that tension rises and they try to do too much on either side of the football, Tennessee can hurt them. The Volunteers are a team with a number of weapons on offense and defense and will waste no time doing damage on the scoreboard. Auburn making sure it can play its brand of football will be paramount to Alex Golesh’s squad having even a decent chance at winning this game. The Tigers fell behind early against Florida, and that drop in composure showed.
Ryan Bartow: The keys to winning on Saturday for the Tigers lie in a number of areas, but specifically in the line of scrimmage. The Volunteers have a serious personnel advantage on their defensive line. In order for Auburn to win at the line, the offensive line has to have legit blocking, add extra protection and quarterback Byrum Brown needs to get the ball out quick and take care of it. The Tigers also need to stay balanced in what has the makings of a low-scoring affair.
Jay Douglas: If Auburn goes on offense first, the Tigers will need to have a sustainable drive. Going three and out would be detrimental in my opinion. Even if Auburn doesn't score, if it is able to pick up first downs and get settled in, I think it will help it in the long run. Scoring first would be great because you can then put the pressure on Tennessee too. If the Tigers go on defense first, they have to get a three and out. If they can't do that, they have to at least fluster Fazion Brandon and make him uncomfortable. Golesh says Tennessee's defense likes to dictate the game, I think Auburn should do that and make it difficult on the Volunteers.
Caleb Jones: If Auburn is going to have success against Tennessee, it cannot come out flat. It's something teams can get away with at home—it's much easier to get the crowd back into the game and generate momentum in your own stadium. On the road? It makes it tougher to overcome. Auburn cannot have the start it had against Florida. The offense cannot turn the ball over on the first possession. The defense cannot give up an explosive play early on. If Auburn can get going in the first quarter, it will have a shot. If the Tigers have to play from behind from the jump? An unlikely shot at an upset.
Ronnie Sanders: Auburn’s biggest challenge on the road will be maintaining control of the game and not allowing Tennessee’s crowd or momentum to dictate the pace. The Tigers need to establish the running game, stay ahead of the chains and avoid the penalties and negative plays that can become magnified in a difficult road environment. Defensively, Auburn has to limit explosive plays and force Tennessee to consistently put together long drives. If the Tigers can protect the football, execute in critical situations and remain composed when Tennessee makes a run, they should give themselves an opportunity to be successful.
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
