Takeaways From Auburn’s Dominant Week 2 Win Over Southern Miss

The Auburn Tigers did not waste the energy of their home opener this past Saturday, as Alex Golesh’s squad came together to take down the Southern Miss Golden Eagles by a final score of 43-8. Particularly after a less-than-convincing showing against Baylor the prior week, this game came as a breath of fresh air for those who were still waiting for a reason to trust the Tigers.

There is a lot to learn from this matchup; for one, Tiger fans got a taste of what Auburn’s offense could perform like down the road. Additionally, the Tigers used many young pieces throughout the matchup, especially in the fourth quarter, showing the stage of development Auburn’s future is in.

In my opinion, these are the three biggest takeaways any Auburn fan can take from their big Week 2 win.

Auburn’s Defense is Incredibly Versatile

After the defense saved the game for the Tigers last week, it probably wouldn’t take much convincing to get an Auburn fan to tell you that this year’s unit is very solid. On Saturday, though, we learned that not only are they strong, but they are also incredibly deep and versatile.

Of course, any mention of the Tigers’ defense in this game would be incomplete without a mention of Andre Jordan Jr’s two first-quarter interceptions, but the Tigers also rallied defensively in a variety of other ways. For one, when Jeremiah Cobb fumbled the ball in the third quarter, his defense immediately got the ball back in his hands after forcing a safety just two plays later.

If the past two games are to be trusted, it is safe to assume that, yet again, the Tigers’ defense will be the hallmark of the program this season, as DJ Durkin has clearly built a unit to be proud of.

Byrum Brown Is Trending in the Right Direction

It wasn’t a perfect game from Byrum Brown on Saturday, though he managed to stay interception-free as he completed 18 of his 29 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns. However, he is clearly trending in the right direction, especially in the passing game.

Brown connected with a variety of receivers throughout the matchup, including familiar faces to him like Chas Nimrod and Keshaun Singleton, as well as newer faces like DeShawn Spencer, a true freshman whose previous best collegiate performance came in the Tigers’ spring game.

Even Brown’s rushing appears to be trending in the right direction, as he amassed 88 yards on 13 carries, a significant step up from the 27 yards he managed against Baylor. Brown still doesn’t seem to be the man we saw at USF last year, but he seems to be finding himself a bit more every game.

The Future Is In Good Hands

It’s never too soon to start looking ahead, and Alex Golesh treated the home crowd to a sneak peek of the Tigers’ future towards the tail end of the game. Defensively, the Tigers held strong under a core of backups and freshmen, not allowing the Golden Eagles a score, led by Malik Autry, a sophomore who managed to collect his first career sack in this matchup.

Offensively, the Tigers actually utilized young talent as early as the second quarter, as Byrum Brown hooked up with true freshman DeShawn Spencer on an eight-yard touchdown reception, the first of his Auburn career.

However, once the fourth quarter rolled around, the Tigers utilized a near-entire second-team offense, including quarterback Tristian Ti’a, a sophomore, and running back Omar Mabson II, who had 10 rushing yards at the half but ended the game as the Tigers’ leading rusher with 15 carries for 108 yards and a touchdown. Ti’a only threw four passes against the Golden Eagles, but connected on two of them for a total of 39 yards.

It is clear that the Tigers’ young players have immense potential, and players like Mabson and Spencer may see more production throughout the season as a result of their efforts on Saturday. Regardless of how the rest of this season pans out, though, it is clear that the Tigers have incredible talent waiting in line for their chance.

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