For the second straight week, Tennessee will square off against a ninth-ranked team named the Tigers. After being blown out by Missouri, the Volunteers will hope for a better result against Auburn. Television coverage begins at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.
How to watch Auburn vs. Tennessee: Preview, TV time, odds and more
Can the Volunteers pull off another upset?
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Tennessee has faced arguably the most brutal schedule in the nation. In non-conference play, the Vols had to travel to Oregon, and they have yet to face an SEC opponent that wasn’t ranked in the Top 25. This will be their third straight top-10 opponent (and fourth in their past five games), and it’s not hard to see why the Vols have a losing record on the year.
Auburn has been a major surprise under first-year coach Gus Malzahn, beating Ole Miss and Texas A&M with just a single loss to LSU on its resume. The Tigers run the ball extremely well and allow the third-fewest points in the SEC, and are hoping that their season-ending clash with Alabama will determine the SEC West champion.
The numbers
Rankings and records: The Tigers are 8-1, with a 4-1 SEC record and stand at second in the SEC West and ninth in the BCS rankings. Tennessee is 4-5 with a 1-4 conference record (good for sixth in the SEC East). Auburn holds a 27-21-3 all-time lead in the series and has won the last five contests between the two schools.
Vegas: Auburn opened as a 7.5-point favorite.
Weather: Low 60s and sunny.
Three names to know
Tre Mason. Auburn's running back leads the conference in rushing touchdowns (13) and is a threat any time he touches the ball.
Dee Ford. The Tiger defensive lineman is second in the conference with seven sacks and will look to give the Volunteer backfield a hard time Saturday.
Rajion Neal/Marlin Lane. The two Volunteer running backs are each averaging more than 5 yards per carry, and will need to do well with the ball if Tennessee stands a chance.
Two things at stake
Auburn has an outside shot at the national title, but will need to win the rest of its regular season games. Tennessee is expected to be the easiest one, by far.
Butch Jones got his marquee win over South Carolina, but a second one over Auburn would do just fine.
How to witness
TV: Noon ET, ESPN
Online streaming: WatchESPN; XFINITY subscribers can watch the game here.
Further reading
For news, analysis and perspective from Auburn, head to College and Magnolia. For more from Tennessee, check out Rocky Top Talk.
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