AUBURN | Two games into the season, Auburn’s offense still has a lot of room for improvement.

The 10th-ranked Tigers managed just 20 rushing yards in the first half, running back JaTarvious Whitlow fumbled three times, losing two of them, and quarterback Bo Nix completed just 51 percent of his passes.

Despite those struggles, Auburn came out on top in a 24-6 win over Tulane.

“Offensively, I think the big thing is we've got to run the football better -- specifically in the first half,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. “We had too many passes and we've got to correct that. Second half, thought we did a better job of getting some movement. Changed up some gap schemes and that really got us in rhythm, and that led to some points there.”

Malzahn came into the game wanting to establish the run first, but the Green Wave had other ideas. Their veteran defensive line along with plenty of support from their linebackers and safeties held the Tigers to 20 yards on 13 carries.

Whitlow had just six yards on five carries before the break, before gaining 90 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries in the second half.

“They were playing with eight in the box. We've only got five to block, so eight minus five is three — so there are three guys unblocked,” right tackle Jack Driscoll explained. “They were just pressing, they wanted to take away the run and make us throw. They wanted to test Bo, and Bo responded, and he had a great game.

“But, people don't understand, when safeties start coming down and corners are blitzing, that's extra guys. If they're making the plays, you just have to change the stuff up, and that's what Coach Malzahn did.”

Whitlow fumbled on AU’s second possession of the game and again in the fourth quarter. He also lost the ball trying to dive in for a touchdown in the second quarter but left guard Marquel Harrell recovered it on the 4-yard line and Eli Stove scored on the next play.

“We can't win when we turn the ball over,” Malzahn said. “We take great pride in holding onto the football. That's something that he knows that we gotta improve. It can't happen.”

Nix, in his second college start and first at Jordan-Hare Stadium, completed 19-of-37 passes for 207 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. It was a step forward from his first start against Oregon, but still plenty of room for improvement.

“I’ve just got to complete passes more, have a better completion percentage because that will get the offense rolling without running the ball,” Nix said. “We got to running the ball in the second half and we moved the ball a lot better.”

Nix only attempted eight passes in the second half as the Tigers concentrated on the run game. AU had 152 of its 172 rushing yards after the break.

“We're still a work in progress on offense,” Malzahn said. “And I really feel like we'll get better and better each week, you know. So there's a lot of things in that second half I feel we can build upon.”

Auburn (2-0) will host Kent State next Saturday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.