Mississippi State (5-3, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) hosts Auburn (3-5, 1-4 SEC) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium.
Here’s who has the edge at each position between the Bulldogs and the Tigers.
Quarterback
Auburn redshirt freshman Robby Ashford is completing 52.6 percent of his passes and has thrown five touchdown passes against five interceptions this year. But Ashford has proven himself to be a dangerous rushing threat, second on the team with 397 rushing yards and with three rushing scores. Mississippi State’s Will Rogers has struggled in the Bulldogs’ past two games but still is completing 67.9 percent of his passes with 23 touchdowns and four picks.
Edge: Mississippi State
Running back
Mississippi State was without Dillon Johnson on Oct. 22 at Alabama, with redshirt freshman Simeon Price filling Johnson’s shoes. Jo’quavious Marks has run for 312 yards this year and has scored six touchdowns, while Johnson sits at 407 yards and three scores. Tank Bigsby, meanwhile, has lived up to his name for Auburn, averaging 5.3 yards per carry with 587 yards and seven touchdowns on the season. Neshoba Central product Jarquez Hunter is the Tigers’ No. 2 back, running for 257 yards on 4.7 yards per attempt.
Edge: Auburn
Wide receiver/tight end
Mississippi State sophomore Rara Thomas leads either team in receiving yards with 456, while Caleb Ducking and Rufus Harvey have both topped 300 yards for the Bulldogs this year. Ja’Varrius Johnson is Auburn’s leading receiver at 399 yards, although he has only one touchdown; Ducking leads MSU with seven scores. Koy Moore (243 yards), tight end John Samuel Shenker (208 yards) and wideout Shedrick Jackson (170) are Auburn’s other top pass-catchers. But Mississippi State has plenty of depth, including Lideatrick Griffin, Austin Williams and Jaden Walley.
Edge: Mississippi State
Offensive line
Auburn’s offensive line has allowed 19 sacks this season; only 32 FBS teams have given up more. The Tigers run for 4.5 yards per attempt, a sign their O-line is superior in run blocking. Mississippi State has ceded 14 sacks on a lot more passing dropbacks, but the Bulldogs run for just 3.8 yards per carry. MSU was without center LaQuinston Sharp against Alabama, and Sharp’s availability will be key Saturday.
Edge: Even
Defensive line
Of Auburn’s 16 sacks this season, edge rusher Derick Hall has five and defensive end Colby Wooden has four. The duo is a dangerous pass-rushing combination, although Auburn has been slightly below average overall at getting to opposing quarterbacks. Mississippi State isn’t much better with 17 sacks this year, but the Bulldogs should return defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy, a big boost to their D-line.
Edge: Mississippi State
Linebacker
Senior Owen Pappoe leads Auburn’s linebacking group, racking up 64 tackles so far with two forced fumbles and a pass breakup. Wesley Steiner has 41 tackles, and Cam Riley has accrued 36. Auburn’s struggles in run defense have been significant; the Tigers are fifth worst in FBS in rushing yardage allowed per game, giving up more than 210 yards per contest. Mississippi State’s linebacking corps of Tyrus Wheat, Nathaniel Watson and Jett Johnson has been strong; Watson leads the Bulldogs in sacks with four.
Edge: Mississippi State
Secondary
Despite Auburn’s inability to defend the run, the Tigers have had a salty secondary in 2022. Auburn is 26th in passing yardage allowed per game albeit tied for 51st in passing yards per attempt. The Tigers have only picked off two passes, though, including one by Hall; nickelback Keionte Scott has the other interception. Mississippi State’s Emmanuel Forbes alone has five interceptions this season, and the Bulldogs are tied for 42nd in passing yards per attempt but 60th in yards per game.
Edge: Mississippi State
Special teams
Mississippi State kickers Ben Raybon and Massimo Biscardi are a combined 5 for 8 on field goals this season. The Bulldogs have an electric returner in Griffin, but he hasn’t broken one in quite a while. Auburn kicker Anders Carlson hasn’t been perfect at 10 of 14, but he’s made every kick inside 40 yards and all 21 of his extra points. Both Biscardi and Raybon have missed two PATs each, making MSU one of the worst teams in the country in that department.
Edge: Auburn
Starters
Auburn
Offense
QB 9 Robby Ashford Fr.
RB 4 Tank Bigsby Jr.
WR 11 Shedrick Jackson Sr.
WR 6 Ja’Varrius Johnson Jr.
WR 0 Koy Moore So.
TE 25 John Samuel Shenker Sr.
LT 77 Kilian Zierer Sr.
LG 62 Kameron Stutts Sr.
C 71 Brandon Council Sr.
RG 65 Alec Jackson Sr.
RT 68 Austin Troxell Sr.
Defense
EDGE 29 Derick Hall Sr.
DE 25 Colby Wooden Jr.
NT 99 Jayson Jones So.
DT 50 Marcus Harris Jr.
MLB 0 Owen Pappoe Sr.
WLB 13 Cam Riley Jr.
CB 18 Nehemiah Pritchett Sr.
S 10 Zion Puckett Jr.
S 1 Donovan Kaufman So.
NB 6 Keionte Scott So.
CB 4 D.J. James Jr.
Special teams
K 26 Anders Carlson Sr.
P 91 Oscar Chapman Jr.
Mississippi State
Offense
QB 2 Will Rogers Jr.
RB 7 Jo’quavious Marks Jr.
-or 23 Dillon Johnson Jr.
-or 22 Simeon Price Fr.
WR 0 Rara Thomas So.
WR 85 Austin Williams Gr.
WR 82 Rufus Harvey So.
WR 4 Caleb Ducking Sr.
LT 66 Nick Jones Jr.
LG 64 Steven Losoya Jr.
C 63 LaQuinston Sharp Gr.
RG 57 Cole Smith Sr.
RT 58 Kameron Jones Jr.
-or 76 Albert Reese IV Fr.
Defense
DE 6 Jordan Davis Gr.
NT 93 Cameron Young Sr.
DT 94 Jaden Crumedy Gr.
SLB 2 Tyrus Wheat Sr.
MLB 14 Nathaniel Watson Sr.
WLB 44 Jett Johnson Gr.
CB 13 Emmanuel Forbes Jr.
S 8 Jackie Matthews Gr.
S 19 Collin Duncan Sr.
S 0 Jalen Green Sr.
CB 3 Decamerion Richardson Jr.
Special teams
K 29 Massimo Biscardi Gr.
P 56 Archer Trafford Sr.
-or 88 George Georgopoulos Gr.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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