With Auburn getting ready to close out a rather disappointing season on a high note, Hugh Freeze and his squad are getting ready for what could be their toughest challenge thus far with No. 15 Texas A&M making the trek to Jordan-Hare Stadium.
“Proud of our kids and their continued fight to try to improve in a difficult season when it comes to outcomes,” Freeze said on Wednesday’s SEC Teleconference. “They continue to try to improve, particularly our younger kids and our staff. And love the positivity that I see in the building. It’ll be a great test Saturday night, for sure. This is one of the best teams we've seen all year, for sure.”
The Aggies come into Saturday night's contest as the second-ranked overall team in the conference thanks to a loaded defensive front, one that Freeze says will present a challenge for the Tigers offensively.
“I think they're just long, they're big, they're quick twitched and their scheme is good. So, it's a lot to prepare for. They’re really, really good up front, and there's really no weaknesses on them defensively,” Freeze said.
The Aggies, led by their talented defensive front of Shemar Turner, Shemar Stewart, Nic Scourton and Dealyn Evans, have created 73 tackles for loss. However, the unit is giving up 124.4 rushing yards per game, and that’s something the Tigers will look to exploit on Saturday as they average 172 yards per game, led by the second-leading rusher in the SEC, Jarquez Hunter.
Offensively, the Aggies boast the second overall offensive in the league, now led by dynamic dual-threat quarterback Marcel Reed. The Aggies average 412.4 yards per game – 212.5 of that coming on the ground – behind an athletic group of offensive linemen paving the way for a group that hasn’t missed a beat with the loss of running back Le’Veon Moss.
“Offensive line wise, they're one of the better ones we've seen. Very athletic, and then obviously the dual threat of the quarterback has made them even more difficult to defend with very talented receivers," Freeze said.
The Tigers’ defense struggled earlier in the year defending dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks—New Mexico’s Devan Dampier and Arkansas’ Taylen Green come to mind—but improved later in the year in containing the running threat of opposing quarterbacks. Auburn has the third-best rushing defense in the SEC, only giving up 104.5 yards per game.
“That's something that we were pretty awful at the beginning of the year, and I think we've consistently gotten better at containing those dynamic guys. I think the stats show that and I think the games prove that. Hopefully, those experiences are something that we can draw upon,” Freeze said on Monday.
With the game being under the lights in the Tigers' final home game of the season, Freeze expects a rocking crowd to alleviate some of the pressure from one of the best rosters he's seen in the SEC.
“Night games and Jordan-Hare are always fun. Our people enjoy it, and it's – if we can find a way to get this thing to the fourth quarter with a chance to win it, our fans will make a difference. I believe that with all my heart, and so it'll be a fun opportunity” Freeze said.
Kickoff for Saturday is set for 6:30 CT on ESPN.
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