BATON ROUGE, La. - The Auburn Tigers (3-3) fell 48-18 at the hands of the No. 22 LSU Tigers (5-2).
From the very beginning of the game, it seemed as though LSU was in tune offensively and Auburn was never able to get to that point.
What are the most important takeaways from the game?
Mobile quarterbacks might be an issue for Auburn
Auburn did a relatively good job of containing Georgia quarterback Carson Beck two weeks ago. That appears to be because he struggled to escape the pocket.
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels had no such issue. He was able to use his legs to extend plays at multiple crucial moments throughout the game, which helped LSU win comfortably.
Auburn will be taking on another mobile quarterback in Jaxon Dart next week when the Ole Miss Rebels come to town.
Offensive line troubles persisted
Auburn’s offensive line provided little to no protection throughout the game, making it difficult for quarterback Payton Thorne to do anything.
There were times when Thorne was able to make a play, but penalties took some of them off the board.
The same unit was able to hold up fine against Georgia when they faced a significantly better front seven.
If Auburn wants to salvage this season, change needs to begin up front.
Auburn’s secondary must not have caught the plane
Auburn’s secondary has been one of the biggest strengths of the team so far this season. That was not the case Saturday night.
The front seven getting little to no pressure on Daniels did not help matters, but LSU’s wide receivers had a field day.
Fortunately for Auburn, this is arguably the best receiver corps it will face this season, meaning it might not be challenged to this extent again.
Play calling was questionable
Many Auburn fans have been calling for head coach Hugh Freeze to take over the play calling for the offense. This game was a good example of why that is the case.
Offensive coordinator Phillip Montgomery made some questionable decisions, including one to run up the middle on third-and-long.
There are multiple changes that Auburn will likely consider making. Who is calling the plays for the offense might be one of them.
Either LSU’s defense is better than it has appeared, or Auburn’s offense is less capable than originally thought
LSU’s defense has been one of the worst in the country so far this season. They turned it around against Auburn.
Thorne and company struggled to do much of anything. It appears that a unit already surrounded by low expectations might be even further away from being dependable than originally anticipated.
Auburn will have a chance to get back above .500 next Saturday against the No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT, and ESPN will carry the broadcast.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email daniel.locke@1819news.com.
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