The Pregame Blogle: Southern Miss at Auburn
Auburn is 1-0. There are things that could be better. There are things that were good enough to beat a P4 team. But now a Sun Belt team is coming to town and the load should be lighter. But before we get there, it’s time for your pregame blogle. It’s time to get ready for the Southern Miss Golden Eagles versus your Auburn Tigers.
🙂 HOW I’M FEELING
I’m good. I feel like the first game was a first game and there were lots of things that need figuring out. You could see it in Golesh’s pressers and even right after the game. He looked like he had just been beaten with a club. He knew the win was good, but he knew there was so much to work on.
But what do they say? They say the biggest improvement you make all season will be between Week 1 and Week 2. I feel like Southern Miss is the perfect opponent for a week like this. Not as tough as last week, but good enough to put up a fight and not make you feel like decent improvements only happened because of the talent gap.
Unlike other teams in the SEC that will claim to be the best all season, Auburn has a win over a good P4 team and now has a decent opponent that will provide some pushback. I feel like Auburn is more accomplished than half the SEC.
🤷 WHAT WE ACTUALLY KNOW
We know a little more than what we knew before the first game (nothing), but we still have no idea what the season will shape up to be. Auburn hasn’t played a home game yet. Auburn hasn’t played the little upstart hellbent on beating a big, bad team from the SEC. And we haven’t seen what this team looks like after Golesh and his staff had a full week to fix everything they didn’t like against Baylor.
We won’t actually know a bit of anything until after next week’s game when Florida comes to town. So quit asking.
👀 WHAT I WANT TO SEE
I want a comfortable 21+ point win. I want to see Byrum Brown run over somebody and throw for 350. I want to see the defense score. I want to see a kickoff return for a touchdown. I want no injuries.
I don’t want to see any major signs of struggle after Southern Miss’s first drive or so. Let them get the excitement and their scripted drive out of the way, and step on their throat.
I want the pregame/tailgate activities to be fun, and the traffic to be light on the way home. I am always going to want those.
🥱 THE STORYLINE I’M ALREADY TIRED OF
BYRUM BROWN AIN’T IT PAWL. He stayed in the pocket more than his skillset probably should. He faced a good Baylor defense. He threw two bad balls that turned into interceptions and another that was tipped.
He’s playing behind a line that has never played together. He manned a drive at the end of the game to win the game. He has some figuring out and some P4 adjustment to do, too. But he has the skills, the size, and the familiarity with Golesh that he can and will only get better. Sorry your hopes and dreams were dashed in a 1st game win.
🦅 RANDOM OPPONENT THING
I actually wrote about a lot of random things about Southern Miss in a new blogle this week. But I’ll give you one.
Former Auburn and Opelika High School coach Doug Barfield played quarterback and baseball at Southern Miss.
Bonus: Ray Guy, the Southern Miss punter the award is named after, had like 100 interceptions, threw a no-hitter, and punted a ball 93 yards once.
📈 BLOGLE CONFIDENCE METER
9.1 out of 10 — Regardless of year – and I’m including 1990 and 1991 and Brett Favre – Auburn should have no real trouble with Southern Miss. That’s not a knock. It’s just two different levels of football.
🔒 ONE THING I GUARANTEE
There will be a mention of Auburn being the “War Eagles” while Southern Miss is the “Golden Eagles.”
Bonus: Wide receivers Chas Nimrod and Keshaun Singleton will have one touchdown each. It’s one of those games where you can just sling it and let them work.
Repeated Bonus until it happens: Alex Golesh will say a funny cuss word to whoever interviews him postgame.
🎯 THE PICK
Auburn 38, Southern Miss 10
I am being a tad more conservative with my offensive expectations until I see more. I think the line will be able to manhandle the Southern Miss front. I think Byrum will have plenty of time but will also have a Cam Newton/Arkansas State-type run. I think Southern Miss kicks a field goal on the first drive and scores a touchdown on the first drive of the 2nd half.
It will be fun to be back home under the lights of Jordan-Hare and see what all the Auburn Fan Experience Staff has cooked up while watching all the shiny new toys on the field as well. It will be a fun day for Auburn fans.
