Behind Enemy Lines: Aggies expert expresses his thoughts on Auburn’s week four SEC opening matchup

The Auburn Tigers will travel to College Station on Saturday for a highly anticipated SEC Opening matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies.

Auburn is currently being counted as a -7.5 underdog in this contest against the Aggies heading into this game. Auburn has already shown promise on the road this season and historically the Tigers have a 4-1 away record against the Aggies. This will be an early kickoff for both teams as the time is slated to begin at 11:00am CT.

We reached out to Cole Thompson of All Aggies to answer a few questions about what the Auburn Tigers can expect from behind enemy lines.

What atmosphere can the Auburn Tigers expect coming into Kyle Field after the win against the Aggies last year at Jordan-Hare?

Thompson: On a good day, Kyle Field can be one of the most hostile atmospheres in college football. Those in the press box must prepare for pregame rituals where the stadium shakes, making it feel like the room is about to collapse. There have been multiple instances where coaches have had to call timeout because the offense can't hear the play call or the clap when running a no-huddle.

But again, it's a game-by-game basis. The last time Auburn came to College Station, A&M was riding a three-game win streak and ranked inside the top 15. It's an early kick. Fans could still be tailgating or flocking into the stands when Payton Thorne takes the field, so it's really a mystery how the game will look on the opening drive. I'd expect it to be packed by halftime, especially if things are close.

What do you feel are the keys to the Aggies being successful during this matchup?

Thompson: Winning on third down is a big key. In all three of Auburn's wins, the Tigers have held opponents to 10 total conversions, fifth-fewest among FBS opponents. As for A&M, it's converted over 51% of its attempts. Yes, you could chalk the level of competition, but A&M totaled eight conversions (44.4%) on the road against a Miami defense that held teams to a 37.4% success rate.

Auburn's defense hasn't truly been tested. Cal and UMass ranked 52nd and 89th in scoring, respectively. The Aggies rank 12th nationally in scoring and 11th in passing. Weigman has three consecutive 300-plus yard games under his belt and has yet to look like he's slowing down. But it all starts on third down for me.

How do you think QB Connor Weigman will handle Auburn’s secondary?

Thompson: The question shouldn't be on Weigman. He's shown the poise and quickness to attack the field at all three levels. He's not afraid to uncork one downfield if a receiver wins his matchup, but he's more than content dumping off a ball to a running back and letting them work.

This is about the receiver matchups more so than the passer. The Aggies were without their top two targets last week against Louisiana-Monroe and still totaled over 300 yards through the air. Noah Thomas is a mismatch nightmare because of his 6-6 frame. Ainias Smith makes nickel defenders look silly in the short game. Evan Stewart and Jahade Walker each have caught at least one pass of over 30-plus yards.

Auburn's going to be taking on a variety of different pass-catchers that are proven. Any slip-up at the line of scrimmage and it could be game over for Ron Roberts' secondary. This isn't Cal or Samford's offense.

Who do you feel will be the predominate offensive play caller during this matchup, Jimbo Fisher, or Bobby Petrino?

Thompson: Let's get this out of the way: Bobby Petrino calls the offense. At least it's looked like it in the two games at Kyle Field. Last season, A&M's offense, which finished 101st in scoring, totaled 31 points twice with Fisher leading the charge. The Aggies haven't scored less than 33 this season.

The odd couple people worried about has yet to become an issue. Petrino has become milder with age, but he still commands respect for his concepts. When Fisher asked him to join the staff, Petrino was already working under Barry Odom at UNLV. Why leave a place with complete offensive control just to become another "yes man" in the puzzle?

Maybe Fisher has an input on a play or two, but this is Petrino's offense—end of story.

Had this game been scheduled for an evening kickoff; would this have influenced the game planning any?

Thompson: Not really. Night games, day games, afternoon kicks; the Aggies follow the same path. It's about mitigating mistakes, striking quickly from the jump and then burning down the clock to pressure opponents to match their consistency. A&M kicked off at 6 p.m. against New Mexico and won by 42 with the same execution it lost by 15 with to Miami a week later. Last week, the Aggies won by 45 over the Warhawks, and the game started at 4 p.m. (thanks rain delay).

It's far too early in the season to consider timing as part of the game plan. Weather? That's a different story.