It’s been a chaotic week on the Plains following the dismissal of Hugh Freeze after Auburn’s 10-3 loss to Kentucky last week.
Now, the Tigers will look to salvage the rest of their season under new leadership, as defensive coordinator DJ Durkin was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
And first on his bucket list is a trip to FirstBank Stadium to take on No. 16 Vanderbilt.
“Our focus is 100% on Vanderbilt,” said Durkin. “We're trying to go 1-0 this week, and that will take all of our focus.”
The Commodores sit at 7-2 this season under fifth-year head coach Clark Lea, and are looking to win out and keep their hopes of a College Football Playoff berth alive.
The all-time series between Auburn and Vanderbilt is tied at 22-22-1, with the Commodores winning the last outing in Jordan-Hare Stadium a season ago, 17-7. Vanderbilt has won three of the previous five meetings in the series.
Here are the biggest things to look for in the matchup:
How will Durkin handle wearing two hats?
Auburn’s defense, led by Durkin, has consistently made its case for being one of the most dominant units in the country this season.
Now, Durkin will have to juggle the roles of head coach and defensive playcaller. And, unfortunately, his first test comes against a potent offense in Vanderbilt.
The Commodores are 13th nationally and third in the conference in scoring offense, turning in 37.6 points per game. They lead the SEC in third-down conversions and rank second in tackles for loss allowed and team passing efficiency.
Auburn has held its opponents under their scoring average in all nine games this season, including eight games where the margin was 9.5 points or more under their average.
The biggest question heading into Saturday’s matchup is whether the Tigers can maintain their ferocious defensive play with their defensive coordinator now, ultimately, in charge of every decision happening between the white lines.
Ashton Daniels gets his second consecutive start under center
On Monday, Durkin announced that he and his staff were evaluating the quarterback room and who would get the start ahead of Vanderbilt.
On Wednesday, Durkin announced on the SEC Coaches Media Teleconference that Daniels would get the start, and that he gives Auburn its best chance to win.
Daniels, after a rather promising showing in the second half against Arkansas, struggled in the loss to Kentucky. He was the only quarterback – Jackson Arnold being the other – who led the Tigers past midfield, but was unable to punch them into the end zone.
He finished his night just 13-of-28 for 108 yards.
Vanderbilt has shown its vulnerability defending the pass this season, allowing 232.7 yards per game, ranking 12th in the SEC.
If Daniels can exploit the Commodores' weakness, defensively, Auburn’s offense can get into a rhythm. But Auburn has only scored one touchdown in its last 21 drives against conference foes, and Vanderbilt ranks 31st nationally, holding opponents to 20.4 points per game.
Vandy will sell out against the run
When Auburn’s offense has seen success this season, it’s been because of the run game and Jeremiah Cobb, who’s fourth in the SEC in rushing with 789 yards.
Vanderbilt will undoubtedly make it a mission to stop Cobb and Auburn’s rushing attack, and force Auburn to beat it through the air – the Tigers have just 273 yards passing in their last two games.
The Commodores sit at sixth in the SEC, giving up 101.7 yards on the ground. Against Missouri, which leads the league in rushing with 235.5 yards per game, Vanderbilt held it to 170 yards on the ground. The SEC’s leading rusher, Ahmad Hardy, tallied 97 on 20 carries, and Missouri scored just 10 points.
Vanderbilt boasts an 85.7 run-defense grade, according to Pro Football Focus. Defensive linemen Jaylon Stone and linebacker Langston Patterson both rank inside the top 100 with 85-plus grades against the run.
So, Auburn – which had little luck last week against a statistically worse run-defense in Kentucky – must find a way to answer Vanderbilt’s ability to stop the run.
Can Auburn get over the Diego Pavia curse?
The past two seasons, one with New Mexico State and one with Vanderbilt, quarterback Diego Pavia has walked away from Jordan-Hare Stadium with a win against the Tigers.
Freeze, Auburn’s former head coach, lost to Pavia three years in a row. Will his absence be what Auburn needs to pick up a win against the senior phenom finally?
Pavia is putting up blockbuster numbers as he leads the Commodores through the gauntlet that the SEC provides. No other player in the FBS has accounted for more scores than Pavia, and he’s coming off a career-high performance against Texas in which he totaled 408 yards of offense, which is the most by a Vanderbilt player in a conference game since 2006.
The list of accolades goes on and on for Pavia. Simply put, he’s a winner.
Auburn’s defense has done an excellent job – excluding Week 1 against Baylor – limiting high-octane quarterbacks this season. It will need to throw the house at Pavia on Saturday, and if it can limit him, the Tigers’ chances at an upset – yes, an upset against Vanderbilt – rise tremendously.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. on SECN.
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