Auburn Football: How Do Tigers Stack Up Against Top Four BCS Hopefuls?
It is that time again for us to compare teams that are ranked highly in the BCS poll. This year, like every year, there are people and teams upset with the current rankings. With that in mind, it is time to do some comparisons with the top ranked team in the nation. For this week the No. 1 team in the nation happens to be Auburn.
Auburn has played and defeated four teams that are currently ranked in the top 25 in the BCS poll. No other team in the nation has done that this year; in fact for several of the top teams, a signature win is hard to find this year.
Comparisons across conferences and the nation are extremely difficult if not impossible. No other team can be expected to play a schedule as difficult as a team in a conference with half of the teams ranked in the current top 25 and five of six teams in their division ranked in the top 25.
Auburn will have played a minimum of five top 25 teams in the regular season and another possible top 25 game would need to be played to win the SEC Championship. All of this will need to be accomplished before the Tigers would be allowed to play another team for the BCS Championship.
Auburn would have to win games against seven or eight top 25 teams out of 14 games needed to win the BCS Championship. How anyone can question that an undefeated Auburn deserves to be ranked as the top team in the nation right now is beyond the comprehension of most.
Why Auburn Is Currently Ranked at the Top
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Auburn's Eight Wins So Far:
Arkansas State 3-5: not ranked
Mississippi State 5-2: No. 21
Clemson 4-3: not ranked currently
South Carolina 5-2: No. 20
Louisiana Monroe 3-4: not ranked
Kentucky 4-4: not ranked
Arkansas 5-2: No. 19
LSU 7-1: No. 12
Auburn's Remaining Schedule
Mississippi 3-4: not ranked
Chattanooga 5-2: not ranked
Georgia 4-4: not ranked
Alabama 7-1: No. 7
How Has Auburn Performed?
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The best way to compare teams is their performance in signature wins. Auburn has had over twice as many signature wins as any other contender, so for this reason we will throw out the signature win that they scored the most and the least on.
This drops out Mississippi State, who they scored 17 points against, and Arkansas, who they scored 65 points against. The two wins that will be considered were against LSU and South Carolina.
In those two games, these were the statistics Auburn generated.
Passing Offense
Total 244 yards
Per Game 122 yards
Per Attempt 5.54 yards
Rushing Offense
Total 774 yards
Per Game 387 yards
Per Attempt 7.10 yards
Total Offense
1,018 yards
Per Game 509 yards
Points Scored
59 points
Per Game 29.5 points
Passing Defense
Total 433 yards
Per Game 216.5 yards
Per Attempt 7.33 yards
Rushing Defense
Total 194 yards
Per Game 97 yards
Per Attempt 2.98 yards
Total Defense
627 yards
Per Game 313.5 yards
Per Play 3.49 yards
Points Allowed
44 points
Per Game 22 points
How Does Oregon Compare?
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Oregon only has one signature win to its credit this season against Stanford. For this reason the game with Arizona State will be added for comparison. Arizona State has a 3-4 record and that is the second-best record of all teams Oregon has played so far. Stanford is 6-1 and ranked 13th this week.
Statistic | Oregon | Auburn |
Passing Offense | 498 yards | 244 yards |
Per Game | 249 yards | 122 yards |
Per Attempt | 8.03 yards | 5.54 yards |
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Rushing Offense | 513 yards | 774 yards |
Per Game | 256 yards | 387 yards |
Per Attempt | 5.9 yards | 7.10 yards |
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Total Offense | 1011 yards | 1018 yards |
Per Game | 505.5 yards | 509 yards |
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Scoring Offense | 94 points | 59 points |
Per Game | 47 points | 29.5 points |
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Pass Defense | 728 yards | 433 yards |
Per Game | 364 yards | 216.5 yards |
Per Attempt | 7.35 yards | 7.33 yards |
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Rush Defense | 387 yards | 194 yards |
Per Game | 193.5 yards | 97 yards |
Per Attempt | 5.02 yards | 2.98 yards |
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Scoring Defense | 62 points | 44 points |
Per Game | 31 points | 22 points |
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
How Does Boise State Compare?
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Boise State has two signature wins against Virginia Tech and Oregon State. These are the two teams we will use for comparison. Virginia Tech is the only team the Broncos have faced that is currently ranked.
Statistic | Boise State | Auburn |
Passing Offense | 509 yards | 244 yards |
Per Game | 254.5 yards | 122 yards |
Per Attempt | 7.71 yards | 5.54 yards |
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Rushing Offense | 303 yards | 774 yards |
Per Game | 151.5 yards | 387 yards |
Per Attempt | 3.78 yards | 7.10 yards |
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Total Offense | 812 yards | 1018 yards |
Per Game | 406 yards | 509 yards |
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Scoring Offense | 70 points | 59 points |
Per Game | 35 points | 29.5 points |
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Pass Defense | 345 yards | 433 yards |
Per Game | 172.5 yards | 216.5 yards |
Per Attempt | 7.18 yards | 7.33 yards |
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Rush Defense | 206 yards | 194 yards |
Per Game | 103 yards | 97 yards |
Per Attempt | 2.67 yards | 2.98 yards |
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Scoring Defense | 54 points | 44 points |
Per Game | 27 points | 22 points |
Does TCU Compare Well?
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TCU does not have two signature wins; they have beaten No. 25 Baylor and the next best team is Air Force with a 5-3 record. These are the two teams that will be used for comparison.
Statistic | TCU | Auburn |
Passing Offense | 452 yards | 244 yards |
Per Game | 226 yards | 122 yards |
Per Attempt | 10.51 yards | 5.54 yards |
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Rushing Offense | 668 yards | 774 yards |
Per Game | 334 yards | 387 yards |
Per Attempt | 6.75 yards | 7.10 yards |
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Total Offense | 1120 yards | 1018 yards |
Per Game | 560 yards | 509 yards |
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Scoring Offense | 83 points | 59 points |
Per Game | 41.5 points | 29.5 points |
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Pass Defense | 211 yards | 433 yards |
Per Game | 105.5 yards | 216.5 yards |
Per Attempt | 6.02 yards | 7.33 yards |
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Rush Defense | 283 yards | 194 yards |
Per Game | 141.5 yards | 97 yards |
Per Attempt | 4.22 yards | 2.98 yards |
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Scoring Defense | 17 points | 44 points |
Per Game | 8.5 points | 22 points |
Should Michigan State Be on Top?
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Michigan State only has one signature win against Wisconsin. The next-best team the Spartans have faced is Northwestern with a 5-2 record. These are the two teams that will be used for comparison.
Statistic | Michigan State | Auburn |
Passing Offense | 621 yards | 244 yards |
Per Game | 310.5 yards | 122 yards |
Per Attempt | 8.51 yards | 5.54 yards |
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Rushing Offense | 280 yards | 774 yards |
Per Game | 140 yards | 387 yards |
Per Attempt | 3.94 yards | 7.10 yards |
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Total Offense | 901 yards | 1018 yards |
Per Game | 450.5 yards | 509 yards |
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Scoring Offense | 69 points | 59 points |
Per Game | 34.5 points | 29.5 points |
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Pass Defense | 342 yards | 433 yards |
Per Game | 171 yards | 216.5 yards |
Per Attempt | 6.22 yards | 7.33 yards |
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Rush Defense | 335 yards | 194 yards |
Per Game | 167.5 yards | 97 yards |
Per Attempt | 4.29 yards | 2.98 yards |
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Scoring Defense | 51 points | 44 points |
Per Game | 25.5 points | 22 points |
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
