Why This Stat Is Auburn's Biggest Concern Against Tennessee

There's a statistic that the outside media worries about when it comes to the Auburn Tigers' chances of winning against No. 17 Tennessee.

Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown has been sacked 14 times this season, which is the most in the country. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Auburn Tigers are coming off a shaky 21-15 win over the Vanderbilt Commodores, and though Tiger fans have long been waiting for a win at home in SEC play, the game against the Commodores did not exactly inspire a ton of confidence in the program as they stare down the barrel of one of the most difficult remaining schedules in football.

Before Georgia, Ole Miss, LSU, Mississippi State or Alabama, though, the Tigers will first have to face down new head coach Alex Golesh’s former program, alongside his former head coach, in the Tennessee Volunteers.

As it stands, the Tigers are underdogs in this game, especially after the Vols’ three-point loss to Texas, the No. 1 team in the country, and ESPN analyst David Hale detailed his thoughts on the matchup, along with one major concern that could haunt the Tigers in Neyland Stadium.

“Auburn's five-point loss to Florida looks even better now, and a win over Vanderbilt that didn't require anyone to not fumble in the end zone on the final play is solid,” he wrote. “The big concern for the Tigers, though? It's the same one Tennessee had last week: protecting the QB. Byrum Brown has been sacked 14 times so far -- tied for the most in the country -- and has been hit on more than a third of his dropbacks.”

As Hale mentioned, this is an issue that goes both ways in this matchup. Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown does lead the SEC in total sacks taken, though Tennessee and their quarterback, true freshman Faizon Brandon, did their best to catch up, allowing 10 sacks against the Longhorns.

Evidently, this matchup will be a battle of the trenches for both teams, as both quarterbacks have also not been exceptional under pressure throughout the season, even when they are able to avoid sacks. The Tigers boast a strong defensive line with Cody Sigler, Dallas Walker IV, Da’Shawn Womack and more, all of whom could quickly create pressure through a battered Tennessee offensive line.

However, the Tigers’ offensive line has also not been particularly stellar throughout the season so far, as both the run game and pocket passing game have struggled as the Tigers look to solidify a consistent rotation. The group is made up almost entirely of new transfers, so there was bound to be some growing pains, but they’ll need to band together and step up if the Tigers want any semblance of a chance in their upcoming slate. 

Good offensive line play could be the difference for both teams on Saturday; pressuring Brandon while avoiding pressure on Brown is likely the best way for the Tigers to beat the long odds and the Vols in Neyland Stadium. 

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