AUBURN | Each week the AuburnSports.com staff and friends make their predictions on Auburn and top college football games from around the country.
WHAT THEY THINK
Bryan Matthews, I’d like a milkshake straw with that.
Auburn 55-10
An Auburn team that finished 6-7 beat Akron and Alabama State by a combined 122-10 to open last season so I’m not sure there’s much to be learned from this year’s opening two games. However, you’d really like to see the Tigers establish the running game early and be efficient with their play-action passing. AU’s offense needs to produce big plays and T.J. Finley needs to get off to a good start.
Jay G. Tate, always served with frosty tips.
Auburn 42-6
It’s always surprisingly to me how players live and operate on a totally different wavelength than the rest of us. While we marveled at the insanity of The Harsin Inquest and its fallout, you know, these players just kept thinking about football and practicing to be better at football and … getting better at football. I think this team has some inherent flaws, but that doesn’t mean they won’t absolutely smoke Mercer. Auburn is too big and too deep for these cats. There are bumpy days ahead, to be sure, but this shouldn’t be a day of clear sailing.
Brian Stultz, a lover of Murder, She Wrote and rom-coms.
Auburn 45-13
Tank Bigsby runs for 150 yards and a couple of scores. T.J. Finley completes 70 percent of his passes with Malcolm Johnson Jr. catching six passes for exactly 99 yards and a touchdown. The defense shuts down the Bears for the first 45 minutes and then Mercer, who will beg for Mercy, scores a late touchdown when 90 percent of Jordan-Hare Stadium is back at the tailgate imbibing in some celebratory bourbon. If you are drinking White Claws in celebration, you have to give up your fandom.
Hunter Adams, your momma’s favorite football coach.
Auburn 48-17
WHAT THEY THINK (continued)
Bill Cameron, Auburn radio institution and still groovin’ to the 70’s.
Auburn 45-16
The Bears rolled up the yards and points in their opener and their offense could pose some problems for the Tigers, but Auburn should be chomping at the bit to get on the field against someone other than themselves. No matter how impressive a win they might post, Auburn isn’t going to quiet the naysayers, but this should be a fairly methodical win.
Dan Peck, the other guy from The Drive and film noir aficionado.
Auburn 44-7
A turbulent off-season ends and a new season begins with a completely overmatched FCS opponent; don’t overreact.
Caleb Jones, a river rat in a kayak
Auburn 51-14
I like what I’ve seen out of Auburn’s defense during fall camp and I think it’s in a good spot heading into Week 1. Mercer’s offense put up 63 points and over 600 yards last week, which is hard to do at any level, so I think it will score at some point, likely late in the game when the second and third team defenses are rotating. Auburn’s offense may take a minute to get rolling, seeing that it’s the first time QBs will be taking hits and Robby Ashford will likely get his first game action. It’s a better look than the 2017 matchup and AU can clean up any flaws from this game pretty easily against San Jose State next week. Tigers win big.
Henry Patton, likes giant gas stations with beaver mascots.
Auburn 55-7
This Auburn team is questionable, but… it’s Mercer. Assuming Auburn doesn’t turn the ball over five times like it did in 2017, the Tigers should be able to do whatever they want against the Bears and cruise to an easy win. We should be watching Robby Ashford and the 2’s by the third quarter.
