Auburn’s secondary handled the task of containing Oklahoma’s pass offense fairly well in last week’s loss.
This week, as the Tigers travel to College Station to take on No. 9 Texas A&M, Auburn’s defense will face another sizable challenge against the nation’s No. 16 overall passing offense.
Texas A&M receivers
Mario Craver, who Auburn fans may be familiar with from his recruitment process, is the SEC’s leading receiver with 443 yards on 20 receptions – even with a bye week. He tallied seven catches for 202 yards against Notre Dame, which was the Aggies’ first nonconference road win against an AP top-10 team since 1979, per ESPN.
Craver is leading the nation with 147.7 receiving yards per game and is the first Aggie to post three straight 100-plus yard outings since 2012. Pro Football Focus has given him the highest receiving grade in the nation, with a 92.3 receiving grade.
But it hasn’t just been a one-man show on the outside for the Aggies thus far.
KC Concepcion has also been stellar with 227 yards on 13 catches, the seventh best in the SEC. The two wideouts have formed a dynamic tandem and average an FBS-best 223.3 receiving yards per game. All 13 of Concepcion’s receptions have either resulted in a first down or a touchdown.
Quarterback Marcel Reed poses dual threat ability
Obviously, they’re not doing it alone. Quarterback Marcel Reed, who Auburn saw in last year’s 43-41 win in four overtimes, is the catalyst for the Aggies’ offense.
A twitchy runner out of the backfield with 142 yards on the ground, Reed is ranked No. 4 nationally in total offense with 337 yards per game. He has tallied 869 yards through the air, and his nine passing touchdowns are tied for the second-most among quarterbacks who have played at least three games.
“I haven’t watched as much film; I’ve had a lot going on today,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said on Monday. “But I’ve seen enough to know those two receivers are dynamic. Obviously, Marcel Reed, we saw him last year, is super twitchy and can throw and run it.”
Aggies’ balanced offense tests Auburn defense
Auburn graded out with a 62.3 coverage grade against Oklahoma last week, according to PFF, giving up 271 yards through the air. The Tigers held the Sooners to just 32 yards rushing, which were the fewest against an SEC opponent since holding Mississippi State to 13 yards rushing in 2022.
But Texas A&M prides itself on having a well-balanced offense. The Aggies are one of just nine offenses in the nation averaging more than 300 passing yards per game while also rushing for 150 yards per contest.
“They have a great running game, the best running game we’ve seen. This will test our run defense for sure. As soon as you commit to it, they’ve got people who can really make you pay. That’s an excellent football team, one that will be in the playoff discussion for sure,” Freeze said.
However, Auburn leads the SEC and ranks fifth in the FBS in rushing defense, with just 58.3 yards per game relinquished on the ground.
Freeze, Durkin prepare for biggest challenge yet
Simply put, defensive Coordinator DJ Durkin and the Tigers’ defense will have their hands full on Saturday, containing a high-octane offense such as the Aggies’.
While holding such offenses under their usual mark is undoubtedly a daunting task, Freeze believes his personnel is well-equipped to handle whatever is thrown at them – much like they have done so far.
“(DJ Durkin) is going to have a good plan, and our kids are playing hard over there, and up front, we’ve stopped the run,” Freeze said. “People like Oklahoma and (Texas) A&M are going to have some yards on you. They have really good talent. These next few weeks are tough sledding. It’s probably unreasonable to think that our defense can just do that all of the time, but to this point, they have.”
The Tigers will kick off against the Aggies at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.
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