Arkansas State Red Wolves vs Auburn Tigers Game Preview

Gametime: 6:30 pm CDT Saturday Sept. 10, 2016

Location: Auburn, AL - Jordan-Hare Stadium (87,451)

Series Record: Auburn leads 3-0

TV: SEC NETWORK

Stream: WatchESPN

Radio: EAB Red Wolves Sports Network (107.9 fm Flagship)

Livestats: GameTracker

Line: Arkansas State +19 O/U 55

The laundry list of issues to work on was apparent to everyone who watched Arkansas State’s 31-10 loss to the Toledo Rockets last Friday night at Centennial Bank Stadium.

At Mondays weekly presser, Coach Blake Anderson confirmed the issues that the Red Wolves need to address immediately as they move towards their first road game of the year against SEC for Auburn.

“We just executed really poorly in a couple of significant areas. We tackled poorly.”

After giving up 176 yards after contact, to say the Red Wolves tackled poorly is an understatement. Maybe the phrase should have been “didn't tackle anyone, anywhere.”

“Offensively, we couldn't execute a simple snap from center to quarterback. We had 8 plays that were derailed by not getting a snap to the quarterback.”

When a team has over 10% of their total offensive snaps for the night wasted because they can’t get the ball to the quarterback, don't look for much success.

So there’s plenty for the Red Wolves to clean up as they take on former coach Gus Malzahn who has had his own issues trying to get his offense settled.

AUBURN LAST WEEK: AUBURN 13 CLEMSON 19—The Auburn Tigers used a stout defensive effort and a trio of quarterbacks to keep it close enough with the #2 Clemson Tigers, that only a tipped away hail mary pass in the end zone prevented the upset.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK: AUBURN How many quarterbacks will Gus play? He has sworn Sean White is the starter but is that just a smoke screen to make stAte prepare for 2 or maybe 3 quarterbacks? Don't forget Gus loves to run the ball so expect to see more carries for several players including Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK: ARKANSAS STATE —SNARK EDITION See first part of article. No seriously, just start at getting the snap to the quarterback consistently. Then have a game plan that involves using your strength at running back. Third, tackle. Just tackle.

What the Red Wolves must do is find a way to get ahead of the chains early on offense and get first downs. Big underdogs on the road find ways to do this and take the crowd out of the equation and keep the other team’s offense off the field. Auburn is obviously having personality problems on the offensive side of the ball, so exploit that. Make their QB’s uncomfortable and let your athleticism show because at the end of the night, there will be multiple runs between the tackles that the Red Wolves will have to find a way to stop.

PREDICTION: AUBURN 42 ARKANSAS STATE 13