After a disappointing three-game stretch against AP top 15 opponents, all resulting in losses, Auburn will have another shot at knocking off a national contender on Saturday when No. 16 Missouri makes the trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Auburn is searching for its first conference win of the season after starting 0-3 for the third consecutive year. It leads the all-time series over Missouri 3-2, with the last win resulting in a 17-14 win for the orange and blue Tigers.
Missouri, led by sixth-year head coach Eli Drinkwitz, is coming off its first loss of the season to Alabama and will travel away from Farout Field for the first time this season.
Here’s a look at Auburn’s Week 8 opponent:
Another formidable opponent
Get used to it, because that’s just life in the SEC.
Auburn will take on its fourth ranked opponent of the season in Missouri on Saturday, all of them falling inside the top 20.
Offensively, Missouri boasts the nation’s seventh-best offense, tallying 511.3 yards per game. It owns the No. 10 scoring offense with 41.7 points per game, ranking third in the SEC. It ranks second nationally in time of possession with an average of 34:49 per game. The gold and black Tigers are outgaining their opponents by an average of 287.3 yards per game – the best ratio in the country.
Defensively, Missouri owns the nations No. 2 defense, giving up just 222.4 yards per game. It boasts No. 2 rushing defense in the nation, holding opponents to just 72.8 yards per game. Missouri is one of seven teams in the country that has allowed three or fewer touchdowns in the second half.
Missouri is the only team in the country to rank within the top seven in both categories – total offense and defense.
Players to know
RB Ahmad Hardy
Arguably the most potent running back Auburn will see this season, Hardy leads Missouri with 782 yards rushing, the second-best mark in the country.
Per Pro Football Focus, Hardy has tallied 608 yards after contact. That is the best mark in the nation and accounts for 77.5% of his total rushing yards. He has also forced 49 missed tackles, which is the second-best in the country.
Hardy tallied 60 yards against Auburn last season while at UL-Monroe. He has rushed for 100-plus yards in 11 of his last 13 games dating back to last season.
QB Beau Pribula
Making his way Penn State, Pribula has made a splash in his first year at the helm of Missouri’s offense.
Voted as a team captain, Pribula has thrown for 1,370 yards and 11 touchdowns with five interceptions. He is completing 72.8% of his passes, which is the No. 6 overall mark in the country and leads the SEC.
Pribula also poses a threat with his legs, tallying 182 yards on 51 carries. He has added four touchdowns on the ground, the second-highest on the team.
WR Kevin Coleman Jr.
Coleman, the Mississippi State transfer, was a nice pickup through the portal to fill the void left behind Luther Burden III.
He leads the black and gold Tigers with 388 yards receiving on 40 receptions. He was the leading receiver in wins over Kansas, Louisiana and UMass, and has crossed the century mark twice.
PFF grades him third nationally through the first five weeks of the season at 90.1. He leads the nation, according to PFF, in percentage of targets caught (90.7 percent; 39 of 43).
LB Josiah Trotter
An immediate impact transfer from West Virginina, Trotter has started every game this season and leads the squad with 28 total tackles and six tackles for loss. He turned in a season-high 11 tackles against South Carolina.
He was the 2024 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and Honorable Mention All-Big 12 at West Virginia.
S Jalen Catalon
Another immediate impact transfer who is in his seventh year of college football, Catalon has started every game this season.
Catalon is second on the team with 23 total tackles – one of five players who boast more than 20 tackles. He has recorded five or more tackles in three games this season and is coming off a six-tackle performance in Missouri’s loss to Alabama.
Quick Game Overview
Auburn is looking to get back on the winning side of things after three straight losses. It has chance to stay undefeated against Missouri in Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday.
But again, Auburn’s offense looked woeful in the second half against Georgia. Missouri boast one one of the best defenses, statistically, that Auburn has seen thus far. Much like last week, if Auburn’s offense is inept, once again, it will trot away with its fourth loss of the season.
Auburn’s defense will have its hands full with Hardy and Pribuala on the ground. It will be strength versus strength in Auburn’s run defense versus Missouir’s rushing attack. Auburn has allowed 519 rushing yards through six games, good for the fewest in the first six games of a
season since 1999 (488) and the fifth fewest since 1968. Additionally, Auburn has held its opponents under 100 yards on the ground in four of its six games this season.
Who wins that matchup will have a significant advantage on Saturday night.
Game Details
Auburn will kick off against Missouri in Jordan-Hare Stadium at 6:45 p.m. CT on SECN on Saturday.