It all finally came together for Auburn football in its runaway 48-11 win against LSU on Saturday. The offensive line played well against a good defensive front, Bo Nix played great and took care of the ball, and the defense finally looked like what we have come to expect under defensive coordinator Kevin Steele.
Here are five takeaways from Auburn’s win last Saturday:
Bo Nix can play, well at home anyway
Nix had his first 300-yard passing game of the season on just 24 passing attempts. He threw for three touchdowns and no interceptions. Nix has now turned in back-to-back 75-plus percent passing outings. He had no previous games with such numbers. He ran the ball effectively as well. The sophomore carried the rock 11 times for 81 yards and a touchdown. Nix is now 9-1 at home since joining Auburn last year, though he is just 4-5 on the road. He has thrown no interceptions at home versus 10 interceptions thrown on the road.
Offensive line play
Auburn averaged 4.7 yards per rush thanks to its improving offensive line. LSU had zero sacks on Saturday. Some of this had to do with Nix’s ability to escape the pocket, but there were not any cases where he was suffocated immediately like earlier in the season. Overall, the continuity between Nix and his offensive line looks much improved.
Stopping the run
Typically, Auburn’s defenses under Steele have been unkind to rush offenses. This season has been a different story. Auburn football ranks 11th in the SEC in rush defense despite the Tigers finishing fourth last season. On Saturday, Auburn finally stiffened up against the run, allowing just 32 yards on the ground and a measly 1.2 yards per tote.
Turnovers
We have seen this make a huge difference time and time again. Auburn won the turnover battle against Kentucky. That lifted Auburn to a win. The Tigers gave the ball away to South Carolina. Despite outgaining the Gamecocks by almost 200 yards, South Carolina prevailed because of turnovers. Auburn won the turnover battle 3-1 against LSU, which it needs to continue to do to win games in the future.
Big Plays
Few teams can score 40 points per game without hitting some explosive plays now and again. Some long runs from Nix and freshman Tank Bigsby will be important to maintain for the rest of the slate. Nix also hit numerous big passes to several receivers. Anthony Schwartz caught a 91-yard touchdown late. Eli Stove had a 38-yard reception in the first quarter. Seth Williams caught one for 28 yards. Explosive plays on the ground and through air will be crucial for this offense to be successful against other teams.
Let us take this win for what it was. Auburn beat a team that cannot play a lick of defense. LSU has some great receivers, but its quarterback Myles Brennan was out for the game. It was encouraging this team stopped the run. Much more difficult tests are on the horizon including Mississippi State, Tennessee, Alabama and Texas A&M to finish the year. Tennessee has not stopped many teams. Mississippi State and Texas A&M sport serviceable defenses. Oh, but do not forget about the rivals to the west. Alabama is third in the conference in scoring defense and fifth in total defense. Bigger challenges await. It will be exciting to see how Auburn football fairs with better offenses and defenses coming its way.