Looking at Game 7, Auburn

Who:  Auburn Tigers

When:  Saturday, October 12th

Where:  Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL

Series history:  Western Carolina trails in the series 0-2.

Their conference:  Southeastern Conference (SEC)

Their coach:  Gus Malzahn, is in his first season as head coach of of Auburn.

Last year’s record: 3-9 (0-8 SEC)

How they got there:  The Tigers opened the 2012 football season with losses to Clemson and Mississippi State, before securing their first win of the season at home againt Louisiana-Monroe.  Auburn then dropped four conference games before picking up their next win against another out of conference foe, New Mexico State.  The Tigers then dropped two of their next three games to end the season without a conference victory.

Offense: No huddle, up-tempo

Defense: 4-2-5

Lettermen Returning/Lost:    41 / 18

Offensive starters Returning/Lost:  8 / 3

Defensive starters Returning/Lost:   9 / 2

2012 Stats:
Points per game: 18.7
Rushing Yardage: 2200  - Avg. per game: 184.4
Passing Yardage:  1879 - Avg. per game:  156.6
Total Yardage Per Game:  205.0

Losses/Weaknesses:  Last season the Tigers finished last in the SEC in total offense.

Strengths:  The talent across the board is undeniable.  Auburn's roster is loaded with four and five-star talents, but haven’t reached their potential. Running back Tre Mason is a good piece of the puzzle to work around with the offense about to go into hyperdrive with the pace cranked up.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban and Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema say they believe it would be a good idea to pass rules that would force no-huddle offenses to give defenses time to substitute. Both say they believe it is a safety issue. First-year Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, who says he wants his offense to go faster than any in the country, disagrees. Strongly. Vehemently.

"When I first heard that, to be honest with you, I thought it was a joke," Malzahn said at the SEC Media Days. "As far as health or safety issues, that's like saying the defense shouldn't blitz after a first down because they're a little fatigued and there's liable to be a big collision in the backfield."

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