Tigers reach pivotal point of the season
With back-to-back losses to Mississippi State and Tennessee, the latter at home, it is pretty much established that 2018 will go down as a “disappointing” season for Auburn.
After all, the Tigers entered the fall with hopes of winning a Southeastern Conference championship and getting a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Now the goal is to try to keep it from becoming a disaster.
The Tigers (4-3, 1-3 SEC), who are unranked for the first time since early in October of the 2016 season, will try to begin their climb back to at least respectability with Saturday’s outing at Ole Miss.
A loss to the unranked Rebels (5-2, 1-2 SEC) would saddle the Tigers with their first three-game losing streak since a five-game skid in 2012 in Gene Chizik’s final year on The Plains.
With games coming up against ranked opponents Texas A&M, Georgia, and Alabama, a fourth loss at this point would put them in jeopardy of failing to reach the six-win level for bowl eligibility.
Just two weeks ago coach Gus Malzahn was talking about the Tigers turning their season around as they did in 2017 when they overcame an early setback to LSU to win the West Division.
“I don’t think anybody expect us to be where we’re at,” Malzahn said in a report on al.com. “I didn’t, our players didn’t.
“We’ve been close, and the reality is we are here and you’ve got to own that and I own it. Our players, and I, own it. Our players will finish strong and that’s where we’re at.
“We’re at a point now where there’s no more championships, but we’re going to play for Auburn. We’re going to play for each other.”
Fullback Chandler Cox said the veterans must step up and get the younger players going in the right direction.
“Leadership. It comes back on me,” he said. “I’m a senior. This is my last year. I take tremendous pride in that because I’ve been here four years. I’m supposed to be a leader.
“I’m supposed to give that energy and be positive. I’ve got to do a better job. I’m an energetic guy and I’ve got to look at the guys beside me and encourage them and help them. It’s not the coaches, it’s not anybody else.
“It’s us as leaders.”
