Auburn vs. Ole Miss Complete Game Preview

AUBURN, Ala. — Look how quickly perceptions can change in a loaded SEC West.

Heading into the 2014 season, this Saturday's matchup between Auburn and Ole Miss in Oxford looked like a tough road test for a higher-ranked Auburn team. Then, after the Rebels upset Alabama and the Tigers fell to Mississippi State the next weekend, Ole Miss looked like it would have the upper hand heading into the first Saturday of November.

Now, days after Auburn survived a scary shootout with South Carolina at home as Ole Miss fell to LSU in Death Valley—well, who can really call a surefire favorite in this one?

Both teams have their major strengths. Auburn's offense got back to its high-powered ways against the Gamecocks after a much-needed bye week, and Ole Miss's defense continues to be one of the fiercest in the country at stopping, creating and even scoring points.

But both teams are also coming off of shaky performances on the other side of the ball. The Tigers were torched through the air against South Carolina after what had been a solid start to the season, while the Rebels hit a brick wall offensively against LSU.

Before we get into the full breakdown of this matchup between two powerhouses that still have a good chance at a College Football Playoff spot, here is all the basics you need to know:

• Date: Saturday, Nov. 1
• Time: 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. local)
• Place: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium; Oxford, Miss.
• TV: ESPN
• Radio: Auburn IMG Sports Network, Ole Miss Radio Network
  
• Spread: Ole Miss -2.5, according to Odds Shark

Video Preview

B/R's Adam Kramer and Barrett Sallee make their picks for Saturday's game between Auburn and Ole Miss in Oxford.

Auburn Keys to Victory

USA TODAY Sports

Auburn HC Gus Malzahn

Avoid the Slow Start

The Tigers have struggled to get early offensive momentum in their last two games against SEC competition.

Against South Carolina, the all-too-familiar slow start didn't affect the outcome too much as Auburn went toe-to-toe in a lengthy shootout. Against Mississippi State, it turned into a 21-point deficit Auburn never overcame.

If Auburn allows the stifling Ole Miss defense to force early turnovers or quick three-and-outs, Malzahn's attack could be in for another long day in Mississippi. But if the Tigers can match the Rebels punch for punch and get some first-quarter points on the board—preferably on the ground, as Ole Miss allowed 264 rushing yards to an LSU team that Auburn routed—it could keep their title dreams alive in hostile Oxford.

Get to the Quarterback

Auburn's pass rush has been incredibly weak this season without the likes of Dee Ford or Carl Lawson off the edge, and that aspect of the defense hit a new low against South Carolina.

Thanks to Steve Spurrier's play-calling, the Tigers were unable to get to Dylan Thompson with blitzes. When Auburn had to rely on its four-man rush, Thompson had all day to throw the ball, and he was able to pick apart the defense.

Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace has shown excellence against lean pass rushes in his career, but he has a tendency to force the issue under pressure and make bad mistakes. Whether it is through new faces at the position or just better execution from the current cast, Auburn needs to improve its rush in a hurry—or Wallace could have a huge day.

Take Advantage with Your Special Teams

In close games away from home, good special teams play can play a big role, and the Tigers should have the edge in that category heading into Saturday's major SEC West matchup.

Auburn has the advantage in the return game with the talented senior Quan Bray, who is once again the nation's top punt returner after his long return that ended in a costly fumble against South Carolina. Ole Miss has a slight edge in punting, but Auburn has a more reliable kicking game with freshman specialist Daniel Carlson.

The Tigers would love to get big momentum plays away from home through their special teams, especially against a defense like the one they will face in Ole Miss. Limiting mistakes will be equally important, so keep an eye on this unit Saturday night.

Ole Miss Keys to Victory

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

Ole Miss HC Hugh Freeze

Get "Good Bo" Back on Track

After "Good Bo" helped lead Ole Miss to the top of the SEC West alongside rival Mississippi State, "Bad Bo" made a return last Saturday night in the Rebels' loss to Ole Miss. The senior went 14-of-33 passing with a bad, last-second interception that ended dreams of a perfect season.

Ole Miss fans wanting to see "Good Bo" will definitely be encouraged by the amount of yardage Auburn gave up through the air against South Carolina's Dylan Thompson. They will also remember the positives from the Rebels' close loss in Jordan-Hare Stadium last season, when Wallace threw for 336 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

But the Tigers also forced three crucial interceptions against Thompson last Saturday night, and Wallace threw two picks against Auburn last season—an early one to Robenson Therezie that resulted in a touchdown and another one in the fourth quarter. Which Bo shows up against Auburn will go a long way in determining the outcome.

Move Those Chains Early and Often

An LSU defense that got torched by Auburn away from home was able to hold Ole Miss to just seven points and a bunch of punting situations in Tiger Stadium.

Whether you call it LSU's defensive excellence, Ole Miss' offensive inability or a mixture of both, the lack of progress when the Rebels had the ball was the key to the upset.

This Ole Miss offense has a tendency to turn it on late in games while struggling to get anything going early. If Auburn struggles out of the gate on offense, another slow start on offense won't matter as much for the home team. But if Auburn continues its resurgence following the pre-South Carolina bye week and starts rolling from the opening whistle, then it could be a bad night for Freeze and his team.

Let the Land Sharks Feed

The Rebel defense, also known as the "Land Sharks," still had a fantastic performance in Tiger Stadium against LSU by holding the Bayou Bengals to only 10 points. Offenses have been able to move the ball against Ole Miss, but scoring has been a completely different issue.

Ole Miss boasts the nation's top scoring defense with only eight touchdowns allowed all season. The "Land Sharks" thrive off forcing turnovers—second nationally with 24 through eight games—and keeping teams out of the red zone.

With a home-field advantage, Ole Miss will look to make huge plays on defense and come up with a defensive score or two, especially if the offense struggles to get any momentum for the second straight week. The goal is simple: get healthy and get after the Tigers on Saturday night.

Auburn Players to Watch

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Auburn RB Cameron Artis-Payne

RB Cameron Artis-Payne

Auburn showed more of a rotation in the running game against South Carolina with Corey Grant, Roc Thomas and even Ricardo Louis getting involved in various ways.

However, Artis-Payne is still the top Tiger out of the backfield, and he showed it with a career-high 167 yards and close to a career-high 25 carries against the Gamecocks.

Artis-Payne will be important for Auburn away from home as the offense looks to move the ball and prevent turnovers against the "Land Sharks." Look for Artis-Payne to have a high number of touches once again in the read-option game with quarterback Nick Marshall.

WR D'haquille Williams

The Ole Miss defense leads the nation in interceptions, so limiting the amount of times Marshall has to take to the skies will be important. After all, the senior quarterback plays better when he is more of a run-first option in Malzahn's offense.

But Marshall won't be able to escape Oxford without throwing some passes, which makes the presence of former Mississippi junior college standout Williams incredibly important for the Auburn offense.

Williams is a long and athletic target who will be a headache for any secondary to cover, even one as skilled at the one the Rebels have. And if Marshall has to make a big throw in traffic, it will most likely go to Williams, who has shown that he can catch almost anything his quarterback throws his way.

Auburn's Right DE

This job has belonged to Gimel President the last few games, but the Tigers employ a heavy amount of rotation, so the job could belong to several different defensive ends Saturday night.

While both defensive end slots will be important for a line that has to improve at getting to the quarterback, the right end could be an even bigger factor, depending on the health of Ole Miss LT Laremy Tunsil. The former blue-chip recruit left the LSU game with a biceps injury but returned in the fourth quarter.

The lack of Tunsil on the blind side for Wallace was evident in the second half of the Rebels' loss in Baton Rouge, and Auburn will want to exploit that favorable matchup if Tunsil isn't 100 percent. 

Ole Miss Players to Watch

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Ole Miss WR Laquon Treadwell

WR Laquon Treadwell

Whichever Bo Wallace, good or bad, who comes out for Ole Miss on Saturday will definitely be looking toward the direction of Treadwell. The sophomore leads the Rebels in receiving with 38 catches and 529 yards this season.

However, Treadwell hasn't been nearly as effective against SEC opponents this season. He has made only one touchdown grab—a big one in the upset victory against Alabama—and he has yet to crack the 100-yard mark in conference play.

Treadwell will be a tough matchup for an Auburn secondary that gave up plenty of big plays against a wide range of South Carolina receivers last weekend. Expect to see plenty of balls thrown toward the Rebels' No. 1 as Auburn tries to recover from a bad game against the Gamecocks.

WR Cody Core

If the secondary locks on Treadwell, look for Core, who leads Ole Miss with five receiving touchdowns, to have a big impact against his hometown school.

The Auburn native grabbed the Rebels' lone touchdown against LSU last Saturday night and had a breakout performance in their season-opening win against Boise State in Atlanta. Core has been Ole Miss' top red-zone target this season, trailing only D'haquille Williams in receiving yards inside the 20-yard line.

While Treadwell is the Rebels' best big-play man in the passing game, Core has been the go-to player when Hugh Freeze needs points on the board. Core will have an interesting battle ahead of him against an Auburn secondary that has forced a majority of its interceptions inside its own red zone.

DT Robert Nkemdiche, LB Denzel Nkemdiche and S Cody Prewitt

These three Ole Miss defensive stars are grouped together because they all missed time against LSU due to injury, and their status could be a huge factor in Saturday's game.

The Rebels definitely have quality depth around and behind the Nkemdiche brothers and Prewitt, but they are some of the most skilled players on the Ole Miss roster. The Nkemdiches have the ability to blow up offensive plays out of nowhere, and Prewitt is an All-American and a fourth-year starter for this defense.

Keep an eye on this trio's status throughout the week. If they play in Saturday's game, they could make an impact, for better or for worse, in what will most likely be a close game with massive championship implications.

(Update: Ole Miss announced Monday that Denzel Nkemdiche will miss the rest of the season with a broken ankle. Robert Nkemdiche, Prewitt and LT Laremy Tunsil are listed as day-to-day.)

What They're Saying

Dave Martin/Associated Press

Auburn DC Ellis Johnson

Ole Miss

Head coach Hugh Freeze after his team's loss to LSU, per The Clarion-Ledger's Hugh Kellenberger:

"

We still could control everything we want with the schedule that lies ahead. We're going to have to play really good football They're sore and down and they're disappointed. Hopefully we'll respond in the correct way.

"

Quarterback Bo Wallace on bouncing back, per the school's official website:

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We’re ready. We’re thinking everybody is going to have one loss now. We have Auburn coming to our place next week. That’s what our mind is on right now.

"

Auburn

Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee on Ole Miss defensive coordinator Dave Wommack and the Rebels:

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Not only have they scored four touchdowns, but their turnovers generate for their offense. I think their whole team has fed off how their defense has played, and that's a great tribute to Dave and what he does. I have a lot of respect for him and how they're playing. They're playing as well as any unit in the country.

"

Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson on Bo Wallace and the Ole Miss passing game:

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Their timing on it is just unbelievable. I don't mean to say pass rush is not important, it always is. But it won't be the same type of game in that you have a guy dropping back in the pocket, throwing the ball downfield on combination routes, and you've got to generate some pass rush on the quarterback. This is going to be more of a play-action game, and ball coming out quick, and I bet they don't have many sacks because the ball does come out so quickly.

"

Junior wide receiver Melvin Ray on playing on the road:

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It’s just execution, honestly, being able to execute with the noise and being able to execute through adversity. On the road you are always going to face times throughout the game where it feels like it’s going to be a hard battle and you feel like you have to come from behind. We had certain games like Kansas State where we didn’t play our best, but our defense did their job. It’s all about being able to play on both sides of the ball and help each other out.

"

Prediction

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Auburn QB Nick Marshall

If Auburn can avoid costly turnovers and get some amount of pressure on Wallace, I think the Tigers offense should have enough firepower to pull the visitors through Saturday night. Marshall and his rotation of running backs, led by Artis-Payne, should still be able to be explosive on the ground—think back to last year's Iron Bowl, when Auburn surprised everyone by moving the ball against a much-tougher yardage defense.

However, if Malzahn's attack goes through another slow start and finds itself in an early hole, the chance at another SEC title and national championship spot will most likely come to an end in Oxford. Ole Miss' offense will find ways to get through Auburn's pass defense—even with the struggles it faced in Baton Rouge last week—and stay on top in front of its hometown crowd.

A low-scoring game favors Ole Miss. A shootout favors Auburn. But what about a game somewhere in between?

Give me the offense coming into the game with more momentum and a defense that has shown how to make just enough big plays late, even in a hostile environment. This feels like it is going to be a tight game, and I lean more on the side of Malzahn, Marshall and Co. in those situations. (Watch out for special teams, too.)

Auburn 27, Ole Miss 23

What will you be looking for in this weekend's matchup, and what is your final score prediction? Let me hear them in the comment section below.

All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting rankings and information courtesy of 247Sports. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.

Justin Ferguson is Bleacher Report's lead Auburn writer. Follow him on Twitter @JFergusonAU.