Auburn is rolling into Knoxville this weekend, ready to face off against the No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers for their first true road game of the season, and honestly, the odds makers are sleeping hard on the Tigers. Yeah, ESPN gives the home team a 71% chance to win and Auburn is a seven-point underdog, but you gotta look at the history books. Auburn has flat-out owned Tennessee, winning six of their last seven games against them dating back to 2003, and get this: they’ve won three straight games in Knoxville. This isn’t just a game; it’s a chance for Auburn to pull off a key upset, but they’re gonna need a few things to go their way.
Defense Could Be The Difference, Seriously
When Auburn’s defense is on point, they are *on point*. They’ve already limited opponents to just 103, 50, and 112 rushing yards in their wins this season. That’s big, because Tennessee’s run blocking has been shaky, grading above 60.0 in run blocking only once this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Meanwhile, Auburn’s run defense has graded higher than 75.5 three times. If they can shut down Tennessee’s run game and force them into one-dimensional play, that’s a huge step towards an upset. And then there’s Tennessee’s true freshman quarterback, Faizon Brandon. Yeah, he’s done solid, completing 62% of his passes for 697 yards and seven scores with zero interceptions, plus 139 rushing yards and three more touchdowns. But he’s still a freshman! If Auburn can get to him, penetrate that Vols offensive line, and force Brandon to make those critical mistakes that freshmen are prone to, especially in a hostile environment, it could absolutely swing the game their way.
Byrum Brown Needs To Go Off, And He’s Got The Tools
Look, Tennessee’s pass defense is one of the best in the SEC, but Auburn’s got a path forward with quarterback Byrum Brown. He’s got two legitimate weapons in Keshaun Singleton and Chas Nimrod who can challenge that Volunteers’ secondary and move the chains. What’s even better? Auburn’s offensive line showed up big against Vanderbilt last week, grading out at an 87.0 in pass blocking and only giving up six pressures and one sack, per Pro Football Focus. If that O-line can keep giving Brown time, and those targets are open, he could absolutely have a monster day on the road. When everything aligns for Brown, with great blocking, reliable targets, and some running lanes opening up, Auburn can absolutely march down the field against anyone.
So, can Auburn really pull this off? It’s going to be a battle, no doubt, but that history in Knoxville is real, and if they play tough defense and Byrum Brown takes control, they absolutely have a shot at this upset. Tune in this Saturday and see if the Tigers can rewrite this week’s narrative and shock the college football world.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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