Auburn football needs two overlooked players to deliver career performances against Ole Miss if Alex Golesh's Tigers want to pull off another major SEC upset.

Starting center Cole Best and linebacker Bryce Deas could play critical roles in determining whether Auburn can defeat the Rebels in Oxford.

On Auburn HIT, we break down why these two players deserve more attention heading into Saturday's matchup.

COLE BEST: AUBURN'S OFFENSIVE LINE MUST DELIVER

Auburn's interior offensive line has struggled throughout the season, but Saturday presents a major opportunity.

Ole Miss enters the matchup allowing more rushing yards per game than any other SEC defense, giving Auburn an opportunity to establish its ground game.

However, that advantage means very little if the Tigers cannot create running lanes between the tackles.

Best faces a difficult challenge against an Ole Miss defensive front featuring Will Echols, whose ability to disrupt plays through stunts and movement could cause significant problems.

While Best has demonstrated leadership and accountability throughout a difficult season, Auburn desperately needs his best performance on the field.

BRYCE DEAS: AUBURN'S OVERLOOKED DEFENSIVE X-FACTOR

With Xavier Atkins no longer on the team, Bryce Deas has taken on a significantly larger role in DJ Durkin's defense.

Alongside Elijah Melendez and De'Marcus Riddick, Deas must help contain Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and a dangerous rushing attack.

Even without running back Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss presents significant challenges on the ground.

Deas' athleticism, range and ability to cover running backs and tight ends could make him especially important in limiting explosive plays.

Auburn needs to control the running game on both sides of the football to have a chance.

Can Cole Best and Bryce Deas deliver the performances Auburn needs to pull off the upset?

#AuburnFootball #OleMissFootball #WarEagle

Photo Credit: Dale Zanine

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Auburn football's path to a 7-5 season is becoming clearer, and Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor's injury could significantly improve the Tigers' chances of reaching bowl eligibility under Alex Golesh.

On Auburn HIT, Zac Blackerby breaks down Auburn's remaining schedule, the games the Tigers should win, and why reaching a bowl game could be especially important for the program's future.

Auburn currently has four wins, and three remaining matchups stand out as opportunities to reach seven victories: Arkansas, Samford and Mississippi State.

The injury situation surrounding Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor changes the outlook for Auburn's trip to Starkville. Taylor's absence would make the Bulldogs a more favorable matchup for the Tigers.

Auburn also hosts Arkansas and Samford, giving Golesh opportunities to build momentum before the Iron Bowl against Alabama.

Could Auburn enter the Iron Bowl with a 7-4 record and a road victory over Georgia already on its résumé?

But this isn't just about the final record.

Bowl eligibility would give Auburn additional practices to evaluate younger players, develop future starters and prepare for the 2027 season.

One of the biggest names to watch is quarterback Tristan Tia.

Could Golesh use those extra practices to give Tia valuable first-team repetitions while Byrum Brown finishes the season as Auburn's starter?

Offensive lineman Ty Buster is another player who could benefit from additional development time after dealing with injuries.

The Tigers could also use bowl preparation to evaluate their roster, establish plans for returning players and identify offseason needs.

Auburn still has difficult challenges ahead, including Ole Miss and Alabama, but the possibility of a seven-win season is becoming more realistic.

Would you consider 7-5 a successful first season for Alex Golesh?

#AuburnFootball #WarEagle #SECFootball

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Auburn football's first-year coaching staff faces serious questions about its transfer portal decisions and roster construction. Did Alex Golesh and his staff misjudge Auburn's talent needs, particularly along the offensive and defensive lines?

On Auburn HIT, Zac Blackerby breaks down two major concerns surrounding the Tigers as they prepare for Ole Miss.

First, Ole Miss' loss to Texas may have made Auburn's upcoming trip to Oxford even more difficult.

The Rebels now face increased pressure in the College Football Playoff race, and Auburn could be facing a desperate Ole Miss team with little margin for error.

Would Auburn have benefited from Ole Miss entering this matchup with just one loss and a showdown against Georgia looming?

Then, the conversation turns to Auburn's roster construction.

Golesh and his staff emphasized finding players who fit their schemes during their first offseason, but have some of those evaluations fallen short?

The offensive and defensive lines have struggled to consistently control games, while Auburn's edge rushing production remains a concern.

Jared Smith entered the season with major expectations, but his development has not yet delivered the impact Auburn needs.

Zac explains why the Tigers may need to change their transfer portal philosophy, prioritize elite difference-makers and invest more aggressively in premium positions.

With a full recruiting and transfer portal cycle ahead, the decisions Auburn makes this offseason could determine how quickly Golesh can elevate the program.

Can Auburn's coaching staff recognize its mistakes and make the necessary adjustments?

#AuburnFootball #WarEagle #TransferPortal

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Auburn football's pass rush has become a major concern for Alex Golesh and defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, and Jared Smith's declining pass-rush win rate reveals just how serious the problem has become.

Seven games into the season, Auburn is still searching for consistent pressure off the edge after building its offseason plan around Smith's expected development.

According to Pro Football Focus numbers discussed in the episode, Smith recorded eight pass-rush wins on 53 opportunities last season, approximately a 15% win rate.

This season, Smith has recorded just 11 wins on 122 pass-rushing snaps, dropping his win rate to approximately 9%.

That's more than double the opportunities with only three additional wins.

But Smith isn't solely responsible for Auburn's defensive struggles.

The departures of Keldric Faulk, Kieran Crawford and other experienced defenders left Auburn without the same level of proven pass-rushing talent. The dismissal of Xavier Atkins and injury to J.J. Faulk have created additional challenges.

Da'Shawn Womack has contributed, but Auburn still lacks a consistently dominant edge presence capable of changing opposing offenses.

Could DJ Durkin create additional pressure by sending linebackers like Demarcus Riddick, Bryce Deas or Elijah Melendez more frequently?

With Ole Miss approaching and Arkansas, Samford and Mississippi State still on the schedule, Auburn needs answers immediately.

We examine Smith's concerning statistics, the impact of Auburn's defensive personnel losses, potential schematic adjustments and why landing an impact edge rusher in the transfer portal must become a priority.

#AuburnFootball #WarEagle #SECFootball

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Auburn football's rushing attack has become a major concern for Alex Golesh after the Tigers struggled to establish anything on the ground against LSU. Jeremiah Cobb and Omar Mabson combined for just 27 rushing yards, raising serious questions about Auburn's offensive line and running game.

Cobb finished with 14 yards, while Mabson managed just 13 as Auburn averaged only 1.9 yards per rushing attempt, including sack yardage.

But are Auburn's running backs actually the problem?

Throughout the offseason, Golesh emphasized the importance of running the football and creating offensive balance. Yet against LSU, Auburn struggled to find ways to get its running backs involved effectively.

LSU focused on limiting quarterback Byrum Brown's rushing ability, forcing Auburn to find other ways to move the football. Unfortunately, the Tigers couldn't consistently create opportunities for Cobb and Mabson.

Golesh acknowledged that there was little positive to take away from Saturday's performance, but the biggest concern may be whether Auburn's offensive coaching staff is putting its playmakers in positions to succeed.

There is one potential reason for optimism.

Auburn has faced an exceptionally difficult stretch of defensive fronts, including Tennessee, Georgia and LSU. Ole Miss presents another challenge, but the remaining schedule could offer more favorable matchups against Arkansas and Mississippi State.

Can Golesh and Auburn's offensive line finally establish a consistent rushing attack, or will these problems continue to undermine the Tigers?

We examine Auburn's offensive struggles, the lack of production from Jeremiah Cobb and Omar Mabson, Byrum Brown's impact on the running game and what must change before Ole Miss.

#AuburnFootball #WarEagle #SECFootball

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