Week 2 – Auburn at Mississippi State

Week 2 CFN Fearless Prediction – Auburn at Mississippi State

Auburn (0-1) at Mississippi State (1-0) Sept. 8, 12:00, ESPN

Here’s The Deal: Auburn might have pushed Clemson hard last week in a loss, but it wasn’t the best of performances. The defense was gouged, the passing game sputtered, and there were too many mistakes and misfires to come through late. But that was against an ACC team – the game didn’t really matter. This game does.

Call it a tune-up or call it a warm-up, but Auburn has been pushed and tested hard against one of the nation’s best teams, and now it’s time to turn everything back around a week later to make a big statement in SEC West play on the road. With home games against LSU and Arkansas coming up soon, there’s a chance the Tigers can make things interesting. But for MSU, now is the time to show that it doesn’t plan on being an also-ran.

The Bulldogs rolled over Jackson State in a light scrimmage to start out the season, and with Troy, South Alabama, Kentucky, a home game against Tennessee and Middle Tennessee before the heart of the slate kicks in, a win over Auburn could be the springboard to 7-0 and the strongest start to a season since 1999. They have lost four straight in the series with the Tigers and ten of the last 11, but the talent is there and the experience is in place to buck the trend.

Why Auburn Might Win: Does MSU have the offensive line to keep quarterback Tyler Russell upright? It didn’t allow a sack last week against Jackson State, but Jackson State doesn’t have Corey Lemonier and a pass rushing defensive front able to get into the backfield on a regular basis. Russell isn’t a total stick in the mud, but he’s not exactly Cam Newton when it comes to his running ability. He has to get the ball out of his hands in a hurry with quick, decisive throws, and while the Auburn defense might have struggled last week against Clemson, Mississippi State doesn’t have a DeAndre Hopkins in the receiving corps or an Andre Ellington at running back.

Why Mississippi State Might Win: No, MSU might not have the skill talent of Clemson, but the receiving corps and the running backs are deep and decent enough to help make Russell shine. Last week, the Tiger defensive line was shoved around by a Clemson front five that blasted away and opened up gaping holes for Ellington to fly through, and while the MSU offensive line might not be anything special, it has the potential to get physical to establish the ground game right away. After allowing 320 rushing yards, Auburn will have to sell out a bit to make sure MSU doesn’t have the same success, but that would only help Russell push the ball deep on a Tiger secondary that wasn’t able to clamp down.

What To Watch Out For: The Auburn defensive front seven might have had an awful game, but linebacker Daren Bates did his part. While he made a few too many plays down the field, he had to do a little bit of everything thanks to a line that couldn’t hold up making 14 tackles with a sack and a tackle for loss. Last year he made 12 tackles in the win over MSU. He’ll have to hold up and make plenty of plays against junior Ladarius Perkins, a dangerous runner who ran for 58 yards and two scores on nine carries in last week’s blowout. The 5-10, 190-pounder was a nice recruit three years ago, and now he’s about to become a huge factor for the attack. Slippery, he’s a one-cut and fly type of runner who can get through the hole in a hurry. He has also been a solid return man when given the chance.

What Will Happen: Mississippi State might quietly be a big factor in the SEC West race. It might not be a flashy team, but the defense is full of veterans and Russell and the O has the potential to come up with a big day against a defense with plenty to prove. Auburn quarterback Kiehl Frazier will be better, and so will the defense, but the Bulldogs will still come away with a strong win.

CFN Prediction: Mississippi State 24 … Auburn 20
ATS Consultants Line (Click for more lines and picks) Mississippi State -3.5 O/U: 46.5
Must Watch Rating (5 – Phineas & Ferb, 1 – Steve Harvey): 3.5