Takeaways from Auburn’s Blowout Win Over Mississippi State

The Auburn Tigers picked up a much-needed win on Saturday after their impromptu bus ride to Starkville, taking down the Mississippi State Bulldogs in blowout fashion, 41-9, largely thanks to stellar first-half play from the Tigers’ defense.

With two games still left on the schedule, the Tigers will look to replicate this performance throughout the rest of their season, especially in their upcoming Iron Bowl matchup with Alabama in two weeks.

We learned quite a bit about the Tigers in this matchup, but three key aspects stand out most. Let’s break it down.

Just Needs A Kick-Start

A recurring theme for the Tigers this season has been their struggles to get their offense going in the first quarter, and early against the Bulldogs, it didn’t seem like that was going to change, as the Tigers quickly went three-and-out to open the game, which they followed with a Byrum Brown tip-ball interception.

However, the Tigers seemed to find a spark after Darrion Smith forced a fumble from Mississippi State quarterback AJ Swann, as Byrum Brown connected with Keshaun Singleton for a 26-yard touchdown. Then, after a missed Bulldog field goal, the Tigers cashed in yet again on an Alex McPherson 37-yard field goal for their 10th point of the first quarter, their most points in the first quarter since their Week 2 matchup with Southern Miss.

It goes without saying that the Tigers should be able to get things moving even without a boost from their defense, but the ability to find a rhythm in an early-game scenario is certainly an aspect that the Tigers will look to replicate in their final two games of the season.

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Trench Warfare

The biggest difference in many of the Tigers’ statement wins this season, especially their win over Georgia, has been their play in the trenches, and the Tigers’ defense illustrated exactly why that aspect is so important this week in Starkville. The Tigers forced a whopping five fumbles in the first half, recovering and scoring as a result of four.

The Bulldogs tried three different quarterbacks to find an answer to the pressure that DJ Durkin’s defensive line was able to bring, but the rush consistently got home, and the Tigers recorded seven sacks over the course of the game while holding the Bulldogs’ rushing attack to just 46 yards.

Nate Johnson and Walter Mathis Jr. led the team in sacks with 1.5 each, while breakout true freshman linebacker Shadarius Toodle led the team in tackles for loss with two.

If the Tigers’ defense can carry this level of play into their matchups with Samford and, more importantly, Alabama, Auburn may surprise the college football world with just how well they’re able to match up with one of the top teams in the country.

Bowl Eligibility

Tiger fans have been through the wringer over the past few seasons, but the team now appears to be trending in the right direction, as with two games still left to play this season, Alex Golesh has officially locked up bowl eligibility for his program. It’s the first time the Tigers have been bowl-eligible since 2023.

After the failed tenures of Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze, Tiger fans have been hesitant to trust Alex Golesh in his first season on the Plains, but locking up six wins in a schedule that was ranked as the 13th-toughest in the country is certainly a sign that things are trending in the right direction on the Plains.

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