Defining game

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AUBURN, Ala. | Auburn proved two years ago that a loss at LSU doesn't derail your championship aspirations. The 35-21 defeat in Baton Rouge was a defining game for the 2013 team and could be the same this year.

Auburn found itself in the second half of that game. Trailing 21-0, the combination of Nick Marshall and Tre Mason piled up 140 rushing yards and three touchdowns, leaving LSU defenders gasping for air at the end.

Auburn would go on to win its next nine games.

"That defined really who we were," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "There are some similarities with 2013. The difference is we know more about the older guys that have been in our system offensively for four years.

"But the young guys -- there are some similarities. Defensively, there is pretty much a new defensive staff, putting in a new defense. They are learning about their guys, too, and the pieces of the puzzle that go along with that."

Auburn is an entirely different team with different expectations this season. It's unclear if a two touchdown loss would have the same meaning it did two years earlier.

What could provide a lift is if quarterback Jeremy Johnson can bounce back from a poor start and play well in his first true road start. A defense that shows improvement, especially against the run and on third down, would also be a good sign.

If Auburn can do that and pull out a win, it's championship aspirations are back on track. Lose a tight one but show improvement and Auburn still has two winnable home games ahead against Mississippi State and San Jose State, and then a 12-day rest to prepare for the meat of the schedule starting with a Thursday night road game at resurgent Kentucky.

But a blowout loss would reinforce Auburn's poor play in its first two games, likely create a quarterback controversy and put the Tigers in danger of finishing in the bottom third of the SEC West.

"From a player standpoint, you know when you don't play your best," Malzahn said. "The bottom line is that we are 2-0. They know we can play a whole lot better and our coaches do too. We expect to play better."

Auburn's offense will face a typical LSU defense -- big and powerful in the middle, long and athletic on the edges with a talented group of defensive backs.

"Defensively, they have a lot of team speed. They fly around, and they are very physical," Malzahn said.

LSU's offense is led by sophomore running back Leonard Fournette, who runs behind a big, physical offensive line. Sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris can throw to tall, athletic receivers that stretch the field vertically.

"Offensively, they run the football," Malzahn said. "They've got some receivers that can make one-on-one plays in space, and they can flat out run."

The keys for Auburn to come away with its first win at Tigers Stadium since 1999? Protect the ball on offense and do a better job on third-down defense.

"It's a tough place to play. They play extremely well at home. Traditionally, that has been the case," Malzahn said. "We haven't been doing a very good job of protecting the football, and I think that goes back to when you asked the identity question. When you turn the football over, that really makes things a little bit gray. We've got to do a better job of doing that.

"Defensively, we've just got to get off the field on third down. That's really our focus as far as that goes. We are playing a quality opponent. We are going to have to go there and play well to win, but our guys understand that."

No. 18 Auburn (2-0) will open SEC play at LSU (1-0) Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.