It would be easy for Texas A&M to overlook slumping Auburn. Even coach Mike Elko had a verbal slip when talking about the Aggies' focus on Saturday's game with the Tigers.
Texas, the team's opponent at the end of the month, can wait.
“I don't think it's an issue," Elko said. "When you’re in the situation we’re in, it’s easy to focus on the task at hand. You know, I think those big games earlier in the year, maybe you look ahead. And if we didn’t have what’s at stake, maybe you would worry about it.
“Our focus is single-handedly on Texas, I mean, on Auburn right now and locked in on what needs to get done.”
Oops.
The Aggies (8-2, 5-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 15 CFP) enter the game among league teams in the mix for the playoffs and the SEC Championship Game. The Tigers (4-6, 1-5) must win their final two games to avoid a fourth straight losing season, but they're only 2 1/2-point underdogs, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook.
“We have to understand that people are going to play really well against us right now,” Elko said. “We’re first place in the SEC, we’re top 15 in the country. We’re in the playoff hunt. That creates something, when you go into another team’s stadium, that we haven’t dealt with in a while.”
The season has left the Tigers with only modest ambitions still within reach. They have to beat Texas A&M and No. 7 Alabama to become bowl eligible. Auburn can also potentially play a spoiler role for two playoff contenders, starting with the Aggies.
“They’re one of the best in the country, and they’re competing to be in the playoffs this year,” Tigers coach Hugh Freeze said. “That should excite us, it should excite us to get them at home in front of our crowd, at night in Jordan-Hare. Hopefully the confidence will build and the success from last week will carry over.”
Auburn is coming off a 48-14 win over Louisiana-Monroe.
The starting quarterbacks have a sizable gap in experience.
Texas A&M's Marcel Reed is 4-1 as a starter and a threat to both run and pass. He ran for three second-half touchdowns in an upset at LSU.
Auburn's Payton Thorne has logged 46 starts in four seasons at Michigan State and Auburn. He has been up and down but is coming off a Louisiana-Monroe game with a career-high five touchdown passes. Thorne has only three TD passes over his last four SEC games, though.
Auburn tailback Jarquez Hunter has already rushed for 1,015 yards with five touchdowns, including a nation’s best 278-yard game against Kentucky. No coincidence that it was the Tigers’ only SEC win, since their passing game has been inconsistent.
The Aggies rank 13th nationally in rushing averaging 212.5 yards per game, led by Amari Daniels and Reed.
Elko is well familiar with Auburn leading tackler Dorian Mausi. The middle linebacker, who has 62 tackles and seven tackles for loss, played for him at Duke and was a two-year starter.
“He started for us two years at Duke and he’s leading them in tackles, and that’s no surprise,” Elko said. “He’s a great player.”
The Tigers had their first penalty-free game since at least 1996 against Louisiana-Monroe. They’re averaging a league-low 5.40 penalties per game. Only seven other FBS teams have had games without a penalty this season.
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