Know The Enemy: Auburn

Game 5 Auburn (3-2 overall, 3-2 SEC West) at LSU (2-2, 1-2 SEC West), 2:30 p.m. on CBS

Last week for Auburn: Auburn showed an extremely balanced offense, passing for 238 yards and rushing for 224 yards, in a 35-28 victory at Ole Miss. Tigers’ QB Bo Nix threw for 238 yards and 1 TDS, and running back Tank Bigsby rushed for 129 yards and two TDs.

Last time LSU played Auburn:  Then smallest victory margin last season for national champion LSU was a 23-20 victory over Auburn in Tiger Stadium. Some strange AU defensive alignments kept LSU’s offense in check until running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire went to work. He had 136 yards rushing and 1 TD as LSU outscored AU 13-7 in the game’s last 20 minutes.

Series record: LSU leads 30-22-1

Auburn coach: Gus Malzahn (74-36 overall in 9 seasons, 65-33 at Auburn in 8 seasons)

THIS AND THAT:

Early betting line: Flipped from opening line of Auburn by 2 to LSU by 3

Number of Louisiana natives on Auburn roster: 2

Number of Alabama natives on LSU roster: 5

Auburn-LSU program connections: Will Muschamp, a former LSU defensive coordinator, was D-coordinator at Auburn for one year before becoming South Carolina’s current head coach. . .Current Auburn D-coordinator Kevin Steele was LSU’s D-coordinator in 2015. . .Current Auburn tight ends coach/special teams coordinator Larry Porter spent five years on the LSU coaching staff from 2005-09, coaching running backs while also holding two key roles on staff as assistant head coach and chief recruiter.

Reason to dislike Auburn: Seems like every LSU game against AU is down to the wire.

Reason to like Auburn: They dislike Alabama even more than LSU does.

AUBURN PLAYERS TO WATCH

OFFENSE

QB Bo Nix (101-of-172 for 1,107 yards, 6 TDs, 4 interceptions), WR Anthony Schwatrz (34 catches for 299 yards, 1 TDs), RB Tank Bigsby (432 yards, 3 TDs), WR Seth Williams (24 for 440 yards, 3 TDs)

DEFENSE

OLB Zakobe McClain (53 tackles, 2½ for loss including 2 sacks), OLB Owen Pappoe (47 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery), S Jamien Sherwood (41 tackles 2 PBU), CB Roger McCreary (21 tackles including 4 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 3 pass breakups)

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK Anders Carlson (8 of 9 FG, 10 of 10 extra points), P Aidan Marshall (43.3 avg.), PR Christian Tutt (3 for 30 yards), KOR Tank Bigsby (13 for 300)

HIS-TO-RY

1. What Auburn head football coach also became LSU’s football head coach?

A. Pat Sullivan

B. Mike Donahue

C. Tommy Tuberville

D. Doug Barfield

2. Who’s the first of three Auburn players to win the Heisman Trophy?

A. Bo Jackson

B. Cam Newton

C. Pat Sullivan

D. Tracy Rocker

3. Toomer’s Drugs on West College Street in Auburn sells the best what that you should try and least once?

A. A cocaine corn dog

B. Smoked marijuana hamburger

C. Fresh-squeezed lemonade

D. Baked squirrel chips

4. In the 54-game LSU-Auburn series, how many games have been decided by a one possession scoring margin?

A. 28

B. 23

C. 35

D. 15

ANSWERS: 1. B  2. C  3. C  4. A