Auburn vs. San Jose State Prediction, Game Preview

For those of you dying for a rematch of last year’s 59-13 Auburn (2-2) win over San Jose State (2-2), your dream has come true. But this is more than that for a Tiger team desperate for something positive. The Spartans, though, might be just good enough to make a bad season worse. Check out the Auburn vs. San Jose State prediction and preview.

Auburn vs. San Jose State Game Preview

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, Oct. 3
Game Time: 4:00 pm
Venue: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Alabama
Network: SEC Network

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Why You Need To Care

Can Auburn really be this bad? It seems like ten years ago when the Tigers opened up the season beating Louisville with what seemed like a sluggish performance, but after struggling against Jacksonville State and losing to LSU and Mississippi State in rough fashion offensively, it’s panic time. Three of the next four games are on the road, but Kentucky and Arkansas are still winnable and there’s still plenty of time to save the year. A loss this week to the Spartans, though, would take the disaster to a whole other level.

San Jose State has played relatively well so far, with an offense that’s cranking things up a few notches and a defense that’s been great against anyone trying to throw. Okay, so the numbers are skewed because everyone likes to run the ball on the leaky Spartan D, but this is still a good enough team to blow away Fresno State last week and with the potential to go on a nice run after this in Mountain West play.

Why San Jose State Will Win

Auburn still can’t close out drives. The defense continues to be a problem against the run, but the bigger overall concern continues to be an attack that struggled to move the chains with Jeremy Johnson under center, and didn’t do much more with Sean White taking over last week. San Jose State should be able to shut down the Auburn passing game cold – it’s second in the nation in pass D – but it should do the most damage on the ground with a dangerous running attack that should be able to gouge the porous Tiger D that gave up 411 yards to LSU, but …

Why Auburn Will Win

The Tigers stepped up their play last week against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs won by dinking and dunking with Dak Prescott, but the running game went nowhere. Does this mean things are starting to change? Is Auburn starting to find itself defensively? Not really, but it was at least a sign of life. Auburn actually outplayed Mississippi State in several ways, but it settled for field goals while Cowbell got into the end zone. Against the Spartan defensive front, this is the game the Tigers need to be able to run the ball – and they will.

Player Who Matters

Sean White wasn’t all that bad in his first start. With all the pressure in the world on his shoulders, he came up with a safe 20-of-28 day for 188 yards with a pick, and he ran for 29 yards. The spotlight will be on to see if he can improve, but the real star of the afternoon could be on the other side. Tyler Ervin destroyed Fresno State for 300 yards and three touchdowns last week, rushing for 641 yards and nine touchdowns already this year. The blazing 5-10, 177-pounder just needs a little bit of room, and he’s gone.

What’s Going To Happen?

Auburn will win, but it’s going to be a very, very scary victory with San Jose State having its chances to pull off the shocker.