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Auburn vs Tennessee preview: No. 17 Vols eye huge win

Dustin Judge
Auburn vs Tennessee preview: Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop carries the ball against Arkansas at Neyland Stadium

Auburn (3-1, 1-1 SEC) visits No. 17 Tennessee (3-1, 0-1 SEC) on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, and this Auburn vs Tennessee preview starts with one question: which team can trust its offense for four quarters? The Volunteers are coming off a 20-17 home loss to No. 1 Texas on Sept. 26, while the Tigers held off Vanderbilt 21-15 the same day.

Auburn vs Tennessee preview: Game information

  • Date: Saturday, Oct. 3
  • Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
  • Venue: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • TV: ESPN

Can Auburn fix its running game?

Any Auburn vs Tennessee preview has to start with Auburn’s ground game, which has sputtered through four games, a problem Sports Illustrated called the Tigers’ most pressing issue entering this matchup. Jeremiah Cobb ran for 58 yards on eight carries against Vanderbilt and has 228 yards and two touchdowns this season. Omar Mabson II (three carries, 24 yards) and Bryson Washington (seven carries, 12 yards) found little room against the Commodores, per SI.

Quarterback Byrum Brown’s legs may hold the answer. Brown leads Auburn with 237 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 62 carries, according to ESPN, and SI noted that most of his rushing production against Vanderbilt came after halftime. He has also thrown for 896 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions.

Auburn coach Alex Golesh, who was Tennessee’s offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022, acknowledged the need for improvement up front. “We got to continue to grow there and continue to get better,” Golesh said, per SI.

Can Faizon Brandon bounce back after the Texas loss?

Tennessee’s true freshman quarterback has completed 58 of 93 passes for 697 yards and seven touchdowns through four games, according to ESPN. Texas’ defensive front overwhelmed Tennessee’s line last week and held Brandon to 145 passing yards on 17-of-29 passing, according to Saturday Down South. Tennessee managed just 216 total yards in the loss.

Running back DeSean Bishop has run for 320 yards and four touchdowns on 54 carries, and receiver Mike Matthews leads the team with 14 catches for 261 yards and three scores. The Tennessee defense has been stingy, allowing 282.5 yards per game, according to theScore.

The Texas game also drew attention for what happened afterward, as Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte criticized the Longhorns’ celebrations.

How does the recruiting case involve both schools?

Auburn’s week also included an off-field matter with a Tennessee link. Former Auburn staffer David Rudolph Jenrath, 24, was arrested and charged with theft of trade secrets and computer tampering after allegedly sharing Auburn recruiting documents with as many as 11 other schools, according to CBS Sports.

Jenrath joined Auburn’s staff in January and was fired in the spring, and he now identifies himself as a sports analytics student at Tennessee, CBS Sports reported. The documents allegedly covered recruiting evaluations for future classes but no game-plan information, per CBS Sports, so the case has no direct bearing on Saturday’s game.

Auburn vs Tennessee preview: What to watch

Both teams are 3-1 and looking for a statement win in SEC play. Auburn’s ability to run the ball early, rather than leaning on Brown’s legs after halftime, will be critical in Knoxville. For Tennessee, containing Brown while helping Brandon bounce back from his first college loss will shape the outcome.

Beyond this Auburn vs Tennessee preview, the schedule doesn’t get easier for either team. Tennessee visits Arkansas on Oct. 10 and hosts Alabama on Oct. 17, while Auburn has an open date before visiting Georgia on Oct. 17, according to ESPN. Alabama is also in action this week in a top-20 matchup at Mississippi State.

Reporting from CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, Saturday Down South and theScore contributed to this story. Official statistics: ESPN.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.