Auburn Tigers to Face Vanderbilt Commodores on the Road

Coming off of their first SEC win of the season against Mississippi State, the Auburn Tigers will head to Nashville, Tennessee to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores.

Striking While They’re Hot

The Auburn Tigers have finally broken out of their funk. Following a four game losing streak, the Tigers were able to put all the pieces together in a two-score victory against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Looking to build off things, Auburn’s next challenge comes in the form of an away game against Vanderbilt. The Commodores are 2-7 on the season following a blowout loss to Ole Miss. Fortunately, they are gifted with a valuable homefield advantage this week, that could turn the tides.

Putting the Pieces Together

The Tigers scored more points against the Bulldogs than they had against any other SEC opponent. Quarterback Payton Thorne threw for 230 yards and three first-half touchdowns while running back Jarquez Hunter ran for a season-high 144 yards. The win may be the pivot the Tigers needed to change their losing ways and build towards a bowl berth. Especially when they come to face a Vanderbilt defense that just allowed 33 points against Ole Miss.

Not So Fast…

The Commodores won’t let down that easy, though. Head coach Clark Lea is entering his third year at his alma mater and knows the value of a gritty win. The team itself is facing its own issues in the form of a quarterback carousel featuring Ken Seals and Walter Taylor. Lea has gone on record as saying he will look for ways to get both players in, depending on the situation and flow of the game. However, against a team like the Tigers, the margin for error is slim.

After starting the year 2-0, Vanderbilt has dropped their last seven games. Meanwhile, Auburn has dropped four of its last five. Time will tell who will emerge victorious when the Tigers take on the Commodores at FirstBank Stadium, Saturday at 4 PM.