Auburn Football: The Tale of the Tape Shows How Low the Defense Has Sunk

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) I've always said that statistics alone can usually be used by both sides in an argument. But looking at the tale of the tape in Auburn's season so far, it's hard to see how they managed to pull off two victories so far this year, including one against a proverbial cupcake, Utah State.

So far this season Auburn has given up more yardage, much more yardage, than they've made themselves. That's not how a defending national champion is supposed to look after playing their first three games of the season.

There are 120 teams in the whole big boy division of college football and Auburn, an SEC team, usually known for defense, is No. 117 in total defense. With only three teams worse, Auburn has no team on their schedule with a worse defense.

For the first time in history, Auburn is the worst defensive team in Alabama. No, not worse than Alabama, the worst team in all of Alabama. Troy and UAB are now ahead of Auburn in total defense for the first time in history.

Here are the stats, and they're so black and white not even James Carville could spin them.

Defensive Stats in the 2011 Season so far	Auburn	Opponents
Scoring: Points/Game	35.7	36.7
Scoring: Games - Points	3 - 107	3 - 110
First Downs: Total	57	90
First Downs: Rushing - Passing - By Penalty	27 - 25 - 5	45 - 42 - 3
Rushing: Yards / Attempt	5.29	4.81
Rushing: Attempts - Yards - TD	104 - 550 - 6	166 - 798 - 8
Passing: Rating	159.33	144.96
Passing: Yards	630	805
Passing: Attempts - Completions - Interceptions - TD	72 - 46 - 2 - 6	107 - 73 - 1 - 5
Total Offense: Yards / Play	6.7	5.9
Total Offense: Plays - Yards	176 - 1180	273 - 1603
Punt Returns: Yards / Return	5.60	16.00
Punt Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	5 - 28 - 0	2 - 32 - 0
Kickoff Returns: Yards / Return	27.72	18.14
Kickoff Returns: Returns - Yards - TD	18 - 499 - 1	7 - 127 - 0
Punting: Yards / Punt	43.24	44.00
Punting: Punts - Yards	17 - 735	12 - 528
Interceptions: Returns - Yards - TD	1 - 43 - 1	2 - 27 - 1
Fumbles: Number - Lost	2 - 0	3 - 1
Penalties: Number - Yards	19 - 185	22 - 163
Time of Possession / Game	23:19.00	36:41.00
3rd Down Conversions: Conversion %	35.29%	63.64%
3rd Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	34 - 12	55 - 35
4th Down Conversions: Conversion %	100%	100%
4th Down Conversions: Attempts - Conversions	3 - 3	4 - 4
Red Zone: Success %	88.89%	87.5%
Red Zone: Attempts - Scores	9 - 8	16 - 14
Field Goals: Success %	100%	100%
Field Goals: Attempts - Made	3 - 3	4 - 4
PAT Kicking: Success %	100%	100%
PAT Kicking: Attempts - Made	14 - 14	14 - 14
2-Point Conversions: Success %	-	-
2-Point Conversions: Attempts - Made	0 - 0	0 - 0

What also hurts, is that they are No. 68 in total offense. That means that Gus Malzahn's magic has worn out without Cam Newton and that when left with his own recruits, he's producing offenses in the bottom half of college football statistics.

The only thing that could possibly help the Tigers if they could just schedule the worst, and I mean the absolute worst, offensive team in Division I to come and play in their home stadium right now.

Oh wait, they have. FAU and the No. 120 offense comes to Jordan-Hare Stadium this weekend.

Let's all wait and see if FAU or Auburn moves up after this game.