3 Keys to Victory for Auburn over Louisiana-Monroe

The Auburn Tigers can get back in the win column if they do these three things against Louisiana-Monroe

Auburn can win if they can succeed in these three areas / John Reed-Imagn Images

After dropping their sixth game of the season against the Vanderbilt Commodores last time out, the Auburn Tigers have what should be a chance to correct course this week.

Fresh off their second bye week of the season, Auburn hosts the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday. 

Here are three keys to victory for Auburn.

Run the Football

After his record-setting performance against Kentucky, Jarquez Hunter did not have as many opportunities to make an impact against Vanderbilt.

Auburn’s star running back and one of the nation’s best had 12 carries for 50 yards in Auburn’s loss to the Commodores.

If the Tigers allow Hunter to do his thing against the Warhawks on Saturday, they should have no problem keeping their bowl aspirations alive for at least one more week. Additionally, Hunter is closing in on his first 1,000-yard season at the college level and needs 87 yards to cross that threshold.

Slow Down Ahmad Hardy

As much as establishing the run game could benefit Auburn, it is equally as important for it to prevent Louisiana-Monroe from doing the same.

Hardy, a 5-foot-10 freshman from Monticello, Miss., has played a large role in the Warhawks’ offensive success in his first season at the college level. Hardy has picked up 915 yards and nine touchdowns off 164 carries.

Louisiana-Monroe has struggled to move the ball through the air, so eliminating the run game would increase Auburn’s chances of coming out on top even more.

Get the Ball in the Endzone

This one might sound self-explanatory, but with the way Auburn has struggled with field goal kicking this season, it needs to be stated.

True freshman Town McGough is 5-of-12 (41.7%) on the season with a long of 32 yards. However, McGough is a perfect 27-of-27 on extra-point attempts.

Kick-off is set for 11:45 a.m. CT and SEC Network will carry the television broadcast.