Louisiana Tech vs. Auburn: Game Grades, Analysis for the Tigers

The Auburn Tigers battled their way to a 45-17 victory on Saturday over the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, improving to 4-0 as a daunting conference slate awaits Gus Malzahn's team.

A 28-point difference was not indicative of the offensive struggles Auburn encountered, but the Tigers still put together a superb showing.

Positional Unit	First-Half Grade	Final Grade
Pass Offense	B	B+
Run Offense	B	A-
Pass Defense	B+	A-
Run Defense	A-	B
Special Teams	C+	B+
Coaching	B+	A-

Pass Offense

While Nick Marshall threw just three passes during the second quarter, two resulted in touchdowns. The senior went 10-of-17 overall, tallying 166 yards and connecting with his receivers in the end zone three times.

Wide receiver Quan Bray had the best performance, snaring three passes for 91 yards and two scores. Sammie Coates had a quiet day, but Duke Williams and C.J. Uzomah both added a touchdown grab.

Run Offense 

Auburn didn't need to pass much because the ground game was so effective. Marshall sliced his way through the Louisiana Tech defense with the read-option attack, amassing 105 yards on just 13 attempts.

Cameron Artis-Payne continued his strong season, bullying his way to 116 yards and one touchdown. The Tigers will rely on him during SEC action.

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Pass Defense

Right away, Auburn's front seven established itself as a difference-making unit. The Tigers batted down three balls on the first two drives, and lineman Montravius Adams even snagged an interception and almost returned it for a touchdown.

Louisiana Tech receiver Trent Taylor had success in the slot, catching eight passes for 80 yards. Auburn needs to tighten up that area but gave a solid collective performance against quarterback Cody Sokol.

Run Defense

The Bulldogs' star running back Kenneth Dixon entered the game with a 100-yard-plus average, but the Tigers limited him to 29 yards on 14 carries.

Although Jarred Craft ripped off a long run, Louisiana Tech trudged its way to 3.2 yards per attempt. Building off this success will be crucial since the likes of LSU, Georgia and Alabama await.

Special Teams

Daniel Carlson converted all six extra points and nailed a 25-yard field goal, but he pushed an attempt from 41 wide right. Additionally, he averaged 38.5 per punt.

Bray took a punt back 76 yards to seal the game, yet he wasn't the only effective returner: Marcus Davis averaged 15.5, too.

Coaching

Gus Malzahn's offense is not completely clicking yet, but he and coordinator Rhett Lashlee always put the streaky Marshall in a good position to succeed. When Auburn started to control the line of scrimmage during the second quarter, the offense focused on running the ball—and it excelled.

Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson had his unit well-prepared for a balanced Louisiana Tech attack. The Tigers controlled the line of scrimmage, disrupted runs and pressured Sokol throughout the victory.

Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.