2018 SEC Season Preview: Auburn Tigers

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Over the course of the next seven weeks, the SoBros Network will be going team-by-team through the SEC, previewing the 2018 American tackle football season. Up next, the Auburn Tigers!

2018 Auburn Preview

There’s certainly a lot to like about the 2018 Auburn Tigers. After winning the Iron Bowl, and subsequently winning the SEC West, the Tigers made it within one game of the College Football Playoff before losing to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship. So, yeah – that’s naturally going to inflate expectations heading into this season. The SEC was incredibly top heavy last season, essentially a three-headed monster with Auburn, Georgia, and eventual National Champions, Alabama (had to get that dig in). But, I expect it to be much more balanced this season. The Tigers should be right there in the mix again.

For all of the credit Gus Malzahn gets as an offensive guru, it’s his offense that has the most question marks coming in. They’re going to employ a platoon to replace Kerryon Johnson. They lost Eli Stove to a torn ACL. And, that offensive line is going to be a project. But, thankfully for Malzahn, they do still have Jarrett Stidham at quarterback, one of the best in the SEC.

On defense, though the Tigers lost some critical pieces to the NFL, they’re going to be just as good. That’s a deep unit that has one of the best defensive lines in the country. Not a lot should change there. But, if you look at this schedule, all of Auburn’s biggest games come on the road, and that doesn’t bode well for a team trying to win the SEC Championship.

2018 Tigers Schedule

Saturday, 9/1: vs. Washington (in Atlanta) – Nine defensive starters return for the Huskies, and if the Tigers don’t have their offense sorted out, it could be a tough game for them to win. This could wind up being a de facto playoff game in Week 1. Love it. But, it’s one that Auburn should win on talent alone.

Saturday, 9/8: vs. Alabama State – Every program has to get its tune-up game in there. Auburn is no different.

Saturday, 9/15: vs. LSU – Bold prediction: the Tigers win. HEHEHEHE….but seriously, I don’t expect LSU to be very good this year. Auburn wins.

Saturday, 9/22: vs. Arkansas – The Razorbacks aren’t ready to contend with the best of the SEC. A third straight easy win for the Tigers.

Saturday, 9/29: vs. Southern Miss – Well, hell – make it a fourth.

Saturday, 10/6: @ Mississippi State – This is where things get interesting for Auburn. If the Bulldogs are who we think they are, then they could very well win this game at home. Go ahead and circle this one on your calendars.

Saturday, 10/13: vs. Tennessee – The rivalry’s renewed, but the Vols aren’t ready to hang with this Auburn team this season.

Saturday, 10/20: @ Ole Miss – Ole Miss has the firepower to hang with the Tigers. Don’t be surprised at an upset here on the road.

Saturday, 10/27: BYE

Saturday, 11/3: vs. Texas A&M – I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Aggies be competitive by this point in the season, but with the game at Auburn, I don’t think they’ll pull off the win.

Saturday, 11/10: @ Georgia – Georgia’s going to be really good. Like…National Championship good. On the road, against one of the best teams in the country….I expect this will be a loss for the Tigers.

Saturday, 11/17: vs. Liberty – Really?

Saturday, 11/24: @ Alabama – Ah, the greatest rivalry in college football: the Iron Bowl. No doubt the Crimson Tide will want revenge after last season’s loss, and this game could very well determine the SEC West representative in the SEC Championship.

Prediction

I don’t expect this Auburn team to be as good as last season’s, but it’s still going to be a contender. That opening match-up against Washington is a doozy, and I certainly don’t like how the schedule shakes down for the Tigers, with their biggest games taking place on the road. This could be a 10-2 team, or it could be a disappointing 8-4 or 7-5 team.

Other 2018 SEC Previews

Alabama Crimson Tide
Arkansas Razorbacks
Auburn Tigers
Florida Gators
Georgia Bulldogs
Kentucky Wildcats
LSU Tigers
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Missouri Tigers
Ole Miss Rebels
South Carolina Gamecocks
Tennessee Volunteers
Texas A&M Aggies
Vanderbilt Commodores

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley

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