Auburn vs. Mississippi State Fearless Prediction, Game Preview

By Pete Fiutak | September 25, 2019 5:47 pm

Auburn vs. Mississippi State fearless prediction and game preview.

Auburn vs. Mississippi State Broadcast

Date: Saturday, September 28
Game Time: 7:00 ET
Venue: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL
Network: ESPN

Auburn (4-0) vs. Mississippi State (3-1) Game Preview

Why Mississippi State Will Win

Now that’s more like what Mississippi State is supposed to be.

The Bulldog defense has been just okay so far – especially compared to last year’s version – but it did a nice job of keeping the Kentucky passing game under wraps in the 28-13 win last week, and he bent but didn’t often break against the ground game.

More importantly, the offense got the efficiency and prosecution from the backfield it needed.

Garrett Shrader isn’t Nick Fitzgerald running the ball, but he added the element at quarterback that injured starter Tommy Stevens doesn’t with 125 yards last week – and he hit 17-of-22 passes. Kylin Hill added another 120 yards with three touchdowns as the running game took over.

This isn’t a high-powered, high-octane offensive team, and it works far better against teams that keep games tight and don’t get into shootouts – like Auburn.

The key to this game might be just as easy as which team keeps its offense on the field the longest. Auburn is good on third downs and great in time of possession, but MSU has the defensive stops to change be better. The State D is No. 1 among SEC teams in third down stops.

Why Auburn Will Win

How is Auburn doing it?

How is it able to commit all the penalties it gets nailed with, struggle so much with the special teams, have so many issues taking the ball away, and have next to no passing game, and yet – arguably – has a better resumé of any team in college football with its wins away from Jordan-Hare against Oregon and Texas A&M?

The lines continue to be fantastic.

The defensive front full of NFL talents is holding up well against the run, it’s coming up with just enough pressure and plays behind the line to be a problem, and the running game is ripping it up.

Last year, Auburn ran for 464 yards in its first four games against FBS teams. This year? 1,038 yards and 11 scores, averaging well over five yards per carry.

JaTarvious Whitlow is running well, there are just enough decent parts to help the cause, and Bo Nix is coming through with good plays at the right time to keep things going. For Auburn ….

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What’s Going To Happen

It’s all working. The Tigers have yet to deal with any sort of an offensive fight, and they have yet to have a game start to get away from them. It won’t happen here, either.

The AU lines continue to be fantastic, they’ll control this game from the start, and it’ll be up to Nix to hit more key throws with the running game held to under 200 yards.

These two haven’t played a good game since 2015 – 17-9 Mississippi State win – with four of the last five decided by double-digits.

Both teams will have to throw to win, and Auburn will to a very, very slightly better job of it.

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