Week 3 Preview: Auburn Tigers vs. South Alabama Jaguars

The Auburn Tigers return to Jordan-Hare for the final time before conference play, facing a sharp in-state opponent that can’t be overlooked. Expect Auburn to lean back on its ground game, even with key offensive injuries.

How to watch:
Date: Saturday, Sept. 13 | Time: 12:45 p.m. ET
Location: Jordan-Hare Stadium (Auburn)
TV: SEC Network | Live stream: ESPN+

Following a critical road win at Baylor and a necessary blowout against Ball State, Auburn welcomes the South Alabama Jaguars to the Plains in their first-ever matchup.

The Jaguars fall somewhere between the levels of Baylor and Ball State. They're not an elite team but Auburn needs to avoid an "all eyes on Oklahoma" attitude. Last week, South Alabama lost by 2 points to Tulane in a game where the Green Wave was favored by nearly two touchdowns. A win here would give Auburn an unfamiliar 3-0 start before hitting the road for SEC play.

Trap Game Watch

This is likely South Alabama's biggest football game in school history. Auburn will need to balance its offense and return to the steady approach shown against Baylor, with fewer experiments.

Coach Freeze will also have to manage the backfield carefully. Damari Alston remains a game-time decision, and sophomore RB Durell Robinson is expected to miss significant time due to what Freeze called a “freak” injury. Should Alston be sidelined again, Jeremiah Cobb will get the start but expect Omar Mabson to carry a notable workload as well.

Auburn’s talent and depth over the Jaguars should secure the win, but with a banged-up running back room and tougher SEC opponents looming, this game could be closer than predictions suggest.

More Cobb, More Mabson

Alston remains an unknown, with Freeze telling Auburn Undercover:

"Damari will probably be a game-time decision," Freeze said. "I know he's going to try; he's trying. He went through walkthroughs this morning. But until you put the pads on and take a hit on it, I'm not sure exactly how he feels. He'll be a game-time decision."

Freeze will likely give Alston another week to ensure he’s 100% for Oklahoma. In the meantime, Jeremiah Cobb had a standout performance against Ball State and is now one of the SEC’s top rushers, totaling 195 yards on 27 carries with three touchdowns.

Without Alston and Robinson, true freshman Omar Mabson could see his biggest action of the season. He carried four times for 25 yards against Ball State, though his pass protection skills were not tested. "He's gonna have to spend some quality time with our running back staff and make sure he understands protection and what he needs to do against all the different looks," Freeze said.

Connor Gibbs Gets The Nod

Last week, Coach Freeze opened the competition for Auburn’s long field goal duties. Following Towns McGough’s struggles, Southern Miss transfer Connor Gibbs will handle attempts beyond 25 yards, while Alex McPherson will take kicks from inside that range.

On paper, it’s hard to see why Gibbs was behind McGough on the depth chart for so long. Last season at SMU, Gibbs went 10-of-13 with three field goals over 50 yards and a long of 59. McGough is currently 5-of-13 in his Auburn career. Interestingly, Gibbs’ long of 59 last year came against South Alabama. Perhaps the stars have aligned to solve Auburn’s kicking issue.

South Alabama's Threats

1. Quarterback Bishop Davenport

Davenport completed 17 of 24 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns against Tulane, adding 63 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground. Look for Auburn's Xavier Atkins to disrupt the South Alabama QB before he can take advantage of our secondary.

2. Running back Kentrell Bullock

Bullock rushed for 107 yards on 24 carries with one touchdown versus Tulane. A true workhorse back, he’ll have a tough challenge against Auburn’s front seven, which limited Ball State to negative rushing yards.

3. Wide receiver Devin Voisin

Voisin caught 8 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns against Tulane. He could be a target for double coverage if he starts to threaten Auburn’s secondary, similar to how Baylor’s TE Michael Trigg tested them.

Wrapping Up

Auburn shouldn’t be packing their bags for Norman just yet. South Alabama’s offense has plenty of playmakers, and the Tigers’ secondary will need to continue improving as they did last week.

Ultimately, the Jaguars will struggle to stop Auburn on the ground, even with the depleted running back room. Freeze will need to strike the right balance to get the win while keeping players healthy heading into SEC play.

This won't be as comfortable as last week.

My prediction: Auburn 34, South Alabama 17