3 early storylines for the rest of Auburn’s 2020 season

Auburn has a bye week before heading into the last four-game stretch of its season.

Auburn has reached a much-needed bye after starting the season with six games in a row as the Tigers prepare for a tough run down the stretch.

Gus Malzahn’s team has had some good (LSU) and some bad (UGA and South Carolina) and some in-between (Arkansas and Ole Miss) but it all comes to a 4-2 record with four games to go.

With Alabama and Texas A&M, two teams in the top ten, both waiting along with Mississippi State and Tennessee, Auburn will have to improve in some areas if it wants to have a chance to win out while also taking advantage of what has been working so far.

Here are three early storylines for the last four games of the 2020 Auburn season.

College Football News Preview 2020: Auburn Tigers

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Auburn Tigers season with what you need to know.

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Auburn Tigers season with what you need to know.


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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
Schedule Analysis
– Auburn Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

2019 Record: 9-4 overall, 5-3 in SEC
Head Coach: 8th year, 62-31
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 10
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 16
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 12

Obviously, no one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.

5. College Football News Preview 2020: Auburn Tigers Offense 3 Things To Know

Considering the brutal schedule the Tigers had to deal with, and the breaking in of a true freshman quarterback, the offense was more than fine.

Most offenses and quarterbacks would struggle against Oregon, Texas A&M, Florida, LSU, Georgia, Minnesota and Alabama, but Bo Nix has to rise up in his second year as the main man for the attack. The former star recruit stepped into the starting quarterback role right away, and he was hardly fazed by the spotlight, coming up with a game-winning drive in the opener against Oregon.

Inconsistent, Nix threw 16 touchdown passes and just six picks, but he hit just 58% of his passes and and was under 52% five times. He’s got the arm, the mobility, and the moxie, and now he has to go from being more of a game-manager to a game-changer.

He’s got the receivers to work with …


CFN in 60 Video: Auburn Tigers Preview
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Seth Williams is going to be some NFL team’s No. 1 target in the near future. He’s got all of the next level tools as Auburn’s top receiver, but he might not have to carry the workload alone – if everyone stays healthy and is still around. No matter what, this is a deeper and more talented receiving corps than it was last year.

Banged up in 2018, senior Eli Stove came up with a 37-catch season as a short-range target in 2019. He’s a potential volume-catcher who needs to be used more.

Second-leading receiver Anthony Schwartz is one of the fastest players in college football, but he only averaged 10.7 yards per catch. There’s a shot he might leave to concentrate on track, but assuming he’s back, he needs to get the ball in his hands more than the 52 times he had it last year – he ran 11 times with two scores.

The offensive line was okay last season – and stronger in previous years – but it was hardly a killer. Four starters are gone with junior Nick Brahms back at center as one expected returning starters. Replacing Prince Tega Wanogho is the biggest hole to fill, but as a whole the line has to be more dominant.

The running back situation is going to be good no matter what, even with leading rusher JaTarvious Whitlow expected to transfer. Sophomore DJ Williams is the leading returning rusher after coming up with 400 yards and two scores.

There’s a whole lot of depth to form a good rotation, but the star of the show might by Cartavious Bigsby, a five-star get with the upside to take over the offense right away.

NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Auburn Tigers Defense 3 Things To Know