The DM: How do you see the Auburn rushing attack faring against the Ole Miss run defense after Ole Mis struggled against LSU?
ERIC WALLACE: I think the Auburn run game is going to be the key to the game. In the road games Auburn has had on the road at Kansas State and at Mississippi State, the run game really never got going at the level in which Gus Malzahn really expected it to. It’s going to be really crucial because the rest of the offense evolves around how well the running game plays. When guys like senior running backs Cameron Artis-Payne and Corey Grant and senior quarterback Nick Marshall get going, the whole team goes. I think we’ll do well, but I don’t think we’ll do as well as possible. Ole Miss’s run defense has been so impressive this year, so we’ll see.
Ole Miss’ defense has not allowed more than 20 points this season and Auburn’s offense under Gus Malzahn has scored at least 20 points every game. Something has to give right?
The goal for Auburn football under Malzahn has been 30 points per game. Other than the national title game last season, if Auburn gets to 30 points, they’re going to win most of the time. Something has to give. The Ole Miss defense definitely has an advantage being at home and having the Rebel faithful have their back the whole way. I think Auburn will be able to move the ball. I think you’ll see a lot of Marshall throwing the ball and stretching out the defense.
How will quarterback Nick Marshall fare against the Ole Miss secondary?
Personally, I think Marshall is going to have a pretty good game passing the ball just because of the game being on the road against a top defense, and the defense not giving enough credit to Marshall as a passer. The game against Mississippi State, he struggled with the ball sailing on him a little bit, but recently, all the receivers are really getting involved in the offense. I think especially the Ole Miss defense really trying to clamp down on the run game, you could see a big day through the air from Marshall.
How do you see the Auburn defense preparing for the Rebel offense?
The Auburn defense had a tough week last week against South Carolina. South Carolina redshirt senior quarterback Dylan Thompson threw for five touchdowns, and the Auburn defense was getting carved up. As much as the Auburn defense has improved this year, they still very much have a “bend, don’t break” mentality as a unit. They’re going to give up a lot of yards, but they have definitely been able to come up with the big turnover in key situations this year. It will be interesting to see if they’re able to force Wallace to make errant throws like he did against LSU.
What’s your overall view of the game? Score?
In basically an elimination game, I think this game is going to be a tight one. I think the Ole Miss defense will try and clamp down on the run game, but I think we could see a big game from the Auburn passing game with just incorporating various weapons that Marshall has. He may not be the most accurate quarterback in the world, but it’s just hard for him not to be successful through the air when he has guys like junior wide receivers Sammie Coates, Ricardo Louis and Melvin Ray to throw to. I think we’ll see a breakout game from Coates.
Auburn 31, Ole Miss 27
