Auburn - Mississippi State Review

Auburn won 34-0 on Saturday. It was a tale of two halves. The first half was a sloppy affair played by a team that looked like they knew they were better and were looking ahead to a big game next week. The second half looked like Auburn woke up and finally did what was needed to win.

Highlights

1. Brandon Cox – The biggest difference between this time last year and this year? Brandon Cox can win a game for you. He was the difference yesterday.
   
   
2. John Vaughn – I still hate kickers, but Vaughan is earning his scholarship. A 55 yarder is an impressive accomplishment. Plus, Vaughan is proving that he can be reliable which is important because with the loss of about one drive per game due to the new rules, field goals might become more important than they used to be.
   
   
3. Defensive Pressure – You might be able to run on Auburn, but you are not going to stand in the pocket and throw downfield. Auburn’s defense is showing that it has the capability to create turnovers by pressuring the quarterback.
   
   
4. Coaching – Auburn has faced two lesser opponents and done what was needed to put the game out of reach early. I felt like offensively, Auburn could have really put more pressure on Mississippi State early in the game by passing downfield against an outmatched secondary. However, this is minor. Auburn was well prepared and focused for both games and won easily. That is what you want from a coaching staff. Now, let’s just get prepared for the big test.
   
   

Lowlights

1. Pass Protection – I know Mississippi State’s defense is pretty stout and will likely prove to be one of the better defenses and defensive fronts in the SEC. However, Auburn’s offensive line, for a second straight week, allowed Brandon Cox to be pressured. The line only gave up one sack, but Cox was under pressure at times. The performance was definitely improved over last week, but needs to continue to get better.
   
   
2. Poor Tackling – When you pitch a shutout as a defense, any criticism is nit-picking, but there were some instances of poor tackling. Missing tackles will be fatal next weekend.
   
   
3. Punt Returns – If I have to watch another punt return fumble a punt, I think I might go postal. Eddie Gran, your mission is to solve the fumbleits infecting the punt return men. This should be your focus this week. Trust me, you don’t need to worry about giving technique tips to Kenny Irons. That is all.
   
   

This was another solid win over an overmatched team. Overall, Auburn looks pretty solid heading into next week’s showdown with LSU. Auburn will have to play a complete game to win against LSU, something the team hasn’t quite done yet.