The current Auburn Tigers team finds themselves in unfamiliar territory as the they aim to bounce back after a loss to No. 1 Mississippi State. The Tigers dropped to No. 5 in the rankings after a week off. At this point, Auburn and the rest of the SEC West must win out their remaining games in order to have a chance at getting into the College Football Playoffs. That puts the pressure on Auburn as they get the South Carolina Gamecocks at home.
The Tigers are a two-touchdown favorite against the inconsistent South Carolina team, but they simply cannot afford to overlook any SEC opponent. Auburn's x-factor is their run game. They average 268 yards per game on the ground thanks to Nick Marshall and Cameron Artis-Payne. However, both players might have a bit of a harder time rushing this week as injuries have shifted players of the offensive line. Avery Young continues to move around while Chad Slade has seen time at both guard spots. Shon Coleman and Reese Dismukes occupy the tackle and center spots. That was not an issue against LSU where they won 41-7, but it played a role against Mississippi.
South Carolina is at risk of having a three-game SEC losing streak, which would be their first since 2009. The team has fallen to both Missouri and Kentucky in poorly played games but is coming off a win over Furman. Mike Daivs rushed for over 100 yards while Dylan Thompson tossed for 262 yards and two touchdowns. Despite the losses, Thompson still ranks third in the SEC with 1,849 yards on the year despite having a running back coming off his third triple-digit performance.
South Carolina has a terrible record against Auburn. The team has lost all seven matches since joining the SEC in 1991 according to ESPN. Right now, it does not look good that the record will suddenly change. Limiting the run game will be their biggest challenge and If Marshall gets his legs going, South Carolina will be in for a long night.
