Auburn's Defense Needs to Dominate Outmanned Alabama A&M

In the beauty pageant that is college football, winning isn't enough. The Auburn Tigers defense needs to dominate Alabama A&M on Saturday.

It's time to shine for Auburn Tigers cornerback Kayin Lee / John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

The Auburn Tigers are heavily favored against Alabama A&M on Saturday. Yet, the win on paper needs to actually mean more, and Auburn really needs to put the proverbial hammer down on defense.

The Tigers need to walk onto the field at Jordan-Hare and remind the Bulldogs of the pecking order and why food chains exist not only in nature but college football.

Hold Donovan Eaglin to 60 Yards

Unlike most overmatched teams, AAMU actually possesses a formidable running back that loves contact. At five-foot-eleven and 226 pounds, Eaglin does not shy away from the pile. In fact, he will get downhill, attempting to either embarrass a defender or just simply dispatch them with force. Either way, Auburn, early on, could see a heavy dose of the Michigan State transfer. 

He averaged 5.4 yards-per-attempt last year and scored seven touchdowns.

Keldric Faulk and his fellow defensive linemen must win early, forcing the AAMU offensive linemen to clog up the backfield, granting Eaglin little room to maneuver. As a result, the linebackers should clean him up and prevent meaningful yardage. Stopping Eaglin forces AAMU to attempt to spread a stronger, faster, better defense.

Kayin Lee Moment

Since walking onto The Plains, the stories of Kayin Lee's violent approach to tackling started as whispers. After separating a Texas A&M ball carrier from the football, those whispers evolved into shouts. Now, facing an outgunned team, that shout becomes an earth-altering scream. 

Without the presence of substantial facts, other than the deepest of gut feeling, Kayin Lee will introduce himself. Whether a pass floats too long or a running back gets some daylight, he will meet Kayin Lee. Lee, in known fashion will bring his lunch pail and jar the ball loose. Regardless of Auburn recovering the fumble or not, Lee turns those cheers into shocking presence.

Points?

To call this a successful defensive day, Auburn needs to limit Alabama A&M to less than twelve points.

Cheap late touchdown or not, Auburn needs this game to serve as a catalyst for weeks to come. Their depth needs to be good enough to avoid any garbage-time scores. From first to last whistle, and each one in between, the defense needs to dominate AAMU. While the Bulldogs will not just show up to lay down, the Tigers need to force their hand.

The road to a better bowl starts on Saturday. With the Auburn defense leading the way, the first game of the 2024 season must be the absolute easiest game of the year.

Furthermore, the road back to gridiron excellence starts on Saturday.

Chapter 1️⃣ Kickoff on The Plains#WarEagle🦅 pic.twitter.com/PKk2rOPlSh

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) August 26, 2024