Clemson at Auburn

Saturday September 18, 2010

Auburn -7 | - Total 54.5

This will be a great game to watch on ESPN and features two strong programs from BCS conferences that are off to 2-0 starts. The SEC is by far the best conference in all of College Football and while the ACC had an awful week last Saturday, primetime tilts like this one always brings out the best in both teams.

The most important matchup in this game is between Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton matched up against Clemson safety DeAndre McDaniel. At 6’6” Newton is a rare breed of quarterback that can throw well, but will look to lower his shoulder on any defensive back that makes any attempt to bring him down. McDaniel is a very physical and intelligent football player. He has a tendency to react to a quarterback’s eyes too much so Newton will show him different looks so he cannot lock in on an area to defend. This also protects Auburn receivers with routes over the middle. Newton will look one way and throw in another and that will keep McDaniel off balance. It will be fun to watch what happens though when these two meet in the open field.

The Auburn defensive front will win the battle of the trenches and they will do it with disciplined strength and sound fundamental execution. Clemson is using two running backs this year in Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper with success. Ellington is the smaller of the two and has good quickness, but top end speed to the perimeter is not of the elite quality. Harper, at 6 feet 235 pounds, is the straight ahead power runner and the two augment each other’s abilities. Still, the Clemson offensive line will have difficulty containing defensive tackle Nick Fairley and there is a high probability they may have to keep a running back in to help double team defensive end Antoine Carter.

Another matchup to keep an eye on how both Auburn safeties react to play action situations by Clemson quarterback Kyle Parker. The Auburn safeties, Zack Etheridge and Savage are very quick to the line of scrimmage on running plays. Clemson will bate them with play action pass, which they love to use, and use their aggressiveness against them. However, they do not have to be excessively aggressive knowing that the defensive front will win the line of scrimmage and contain the run on their own merit. So, even on running plays they may not be needed at all and they can simply stay back and play cover-2 zone assignments or be free to double up any of the receivers.

Auburn supporters can rely on a strong system that has produced a record of 41-15 ATS for 73% winners since 2005. Play on favorites of 3.5 to 10 points and are average passing teams gaining between 175 to 230 passing yards per game facing an average passing defense allowing 175 to 230 passing yards per game and after allowing 5.5 or less passing yards per attempt last game.

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