We played Auburn better last year.

[atekido]

So does that mean we are not much improved from last year or does that mean Auburn is just that much improved?

We did start out slow last year but got back in the game somewhat in the 2nd half but we had more first downs,  more yards,  more 3rd down conversions, and held auburn to a lot less total yards.  The only thing we did worse last year was we had 3 turnovers.

[Poker_hog]

I agree with this although we probably would have played better at home.  Fatigue is not as bad when 70k plus are cheering for you. 

Clearly au improved since they played us last year, I think we have too.  The gap is the same. 

[hoggusamoungus]

I agree with this although we probably would have played better at home.  Fatigue is not as bad when 70k plus are cheering for you. 

Clearly au improved since they played us last year, I think we have too.  The gap is the same.

Right. An 18 pt. home loss vs a 24 point road loss is probably a wash.

[Poker_hog]

Right. An 18 pt. home loss vs a 24 point road loss is probably a wash.

That's generally true but this team is especially fragile between the ears.  Maybe things don't spiral out of control in the 2nd half if we were at home.

[Boston RedHogs]

That's generally true but this team is especially fragile between the ears.  Maybe things don't spiral out of control in the 2nd half if we were at home.

Quite a rough assessment for having only seen one game so far, don't you think?

Let me remind you that Auburn was ranked #6, coming off a national champ game appearance, and we played them at their house..

[HyperDrive]

So does that mean we are not much improved from last year or does that mean Auburn is just that much improved?

We did start out slow last year but got back in the game somewhat in the 2nd half but we had more first downs,  more yards,  more 3rd down conversions, and held auburn to a lot less total yards.  The only thing we did worse last year was we had 3 turnovers.

Auburn wasn't as good last year.

[Poker_hog]

Quite a rough assessment for having only seen one game so far, don't you think?

Let me remind you that Auburn was ranked #6, coming off a national champ game appearance, and we played them at their house..

No.  I think is a normal reaction to being on a 9 game losing streak.

[GlassofSwine]

So does that mean we are not much improved from last year or does that mean Auburn is just that much improved?

We did start out slow last year but got back in the game somewhat in the 2nd half but we had more first downs,  more yards,  more 3rd down conversions, and held auburn to a lot less total yards.  The only thing we did worse last year was we had 3 turnovers.

We did not play Auburn better last year. We were down 28-3 midway through the 3rd quarter at home. This year we were down 28-21 at the same point. Simply comparing statistics and the final score does not tell the whole story.

[HiggiePiggy]

We did not play Auburn better last year. We were down 28-3 midway through the 3rd quarter at home. This year we were down 28-21 at the same point. Simply comparing statistics and the final score does not tell the whole story.

I agree with this.   We played much better this year than last year.  Defensively we are still very questionable.   Offensively we did pretty good except game adjusting for the second half. 

[PonderinHog]

Auburn wasn't as good last year.

May be the best team money can buy - again.

[popcornhog]

Auburn wasn't as good last year.

Based on just one game, I agree.

A&M looks like the best team in the conference right now and Auburn doesn't look like they're too far behind. Maybe LSU at a distant 3rd.

Tennessee looked better than I expected.

It's hard to predict much off if one week though.

As far as we're concerned -- WR's and Defensuve secondary MUST improve but I still think we look good enough to win six games as compared to the rest of our schedule. But who knows, we haven't seen enough yet.

Nobody in their right mind expected to beat y'all at home anyway.

[3kgthog]

You can't say Auburn is the best right now considering they just played us. We'll be dead last in the SEC in defense. That's nothing to evaluate the Tigers on.

[popcornhog]

You can't say Auburn is the best right now considering they just played us. We'll be dead last in the SEC in defense. That's nothing to evaluate the Tigers on.

The inverse can be said too. One game in -- we'll know more as the season progresses. But for now -- AU looked like the 2nd best team in the sec this weekend.

[Hogwild]

Based on just one game, I agree.

A&M looks like the best team in the conference right now and Auburn doesn't look like they're too far behind. Maybe LSU at a distant 3rd.

I take it you didn't see the UGA game.

[peachy]

I think Arkansas played much better this year.  It was tied 21-21 at halftime.  Last year Auburn had a 28-3 lead at one point.  Arkansas is much improved.  But like I said, this is probably the best offense Auburn has ever put together.  The fact that you guys held us to 38 offensive points in our home stadium says a lot about how far you've come.  I don't expect many teams to hold our offense that low. 

You guys are much better than I thought you would be.  It will take another year but BB has them on the right track.  You just don't have the schedule like some teams to show it.  I believe if you had Alabama's opening schedule you would be 3-0 heading into the Florida game.

[popcornhog]

I take it you didn't see the UGA game.

Very good point - Completely forgot about them rocking Clemson (I didn't watch much of it). I like them to win the East.

Just based on this weekend:

1) A&M
2) AU/UGA
4) LSU

[tampahog]

They also beat us by 22 in 2010 which is the only bcs team we have ever fielded.  I think both teams are better this year than last.  We will win some sec games this year.  We are improved this year but again, CBBs approach is to start mostly upperclassmen who have multiple years in the system and strength program. 

[hawgon]

I don't know that we can say much one way or another about improvement.  We're going to see how it plays out.  We seem to have the same problems we had last year while doing the things we already did well, a little better.

[rude1]

We did not play Auburn better last year. We were down 28-3 midway through the 3rd quarter at home. This year we were down 28-21 at the same point. Simply comparing statistics and the final score does not tell the whole story.

Auburn did not bench their starting QB for a half last year either. So maybe just comparing scores at a point in each game isn't a good barometer either on what actually happened.

[Muskliketusk]

Bull corn, jack. We was right in it to the half. They just had a few more horses. They'll get there's at JRRS next year when we ain't paying for Bobby and smilies mistakes. WPS  :razorback:

[GlassofSwine]

Auburn did not bench their starting QB for a half last year either. So maybe just comparing scores at a point in each game isn't a good barometer either on what actually happened.

   Johnson would start for most of the SEC teams in the conference. Gus ran two different strategies. With Johnson having the better arm he tested are back 7 and won. Once we got slightly better at defending that, in comes Marshall at the half running the read option. 
  Last year, Arkansas made the game seem respectable late after falling way behind. Yesterday Arkansas fell behind late after competing well for 65% of the game. I'll take being competitive over scoring some garbage points any-day of the week.

[hawgbawb]

Whatever happens in the 4th quarter with one team up by two possessions-plus is discounted.

[Biggus Piggus]

So does that mean we are not much improved from last year or does that mean Auburn is just that much improved?

We did start out slow last year but got back in the game somewhat in the 2nd half but we had more first downs,  more yards,  more 3rd down conversions, and held auburn to a lot less total yards.  The only thing we did worse last year was we had 3 turnovers.

No. We did not play Auburn better last year. We fell behind big before halfway getting our darn together. For half of this game, the Hogs ran through nine-man fronts like they were air. It was good.

Our run defense was more effective last season, with a bigger and more experienced defensive line. The pass defense was about the same.

[hogfan14]

Auburn ran about 3 plays against us last year. This year they opened it up a lot more. Plus they added another 1st round pick at WR. Cant really compare the two.

[bphi11ips]

Arkansas is a much better team this year. 

[GTOWNHOG]

Do you think that playing Auburn on AUGUST 30, Game ONE, AWAY,  SEC Conference game,  had anything to do with it??  We had played EIGHT games including conference games against A&M, South Carolina, Florida, and Alabama BEFORE we played Auburn last year.  Not a valid comparision at all....

[footballfan2]

So does that mean we are not much improved from last year or does that mean Auburn is just that much improved?

We did start out slow last year but got back in the game somewhat in the 2nd half but we had more first downs,  more yards,  more 3rd down conversions, and held auburn to a lot less total yards.  The only thing we did worse last year was we had 3 turnovers.

I disagree. For the first half this game was much more competitive than last year. Couple that with Auburn was so vanilla last year. Had Auburn ran their whole offense last year, that score could've gone over 50 real quick.  Auburn's offense is much more dynamic with their passing game this year.

[RazorBassin]

To anyone saying that the reason it was close in the first half was because of their 2nd string QB playing is just outright wrong.  I hate to say it, but their 2nd string QB is going to be better than Marshall and may already be.  He will be hard to scheme for in the future for sure.

[DeltaBoy]

We played them heads up for a half this year.

[Deep Shoat]

Hey guys, all I looked at is the score, ignoring the first half and the fact that we were on the road, and the fact that Arkansas was never actually in the game last year, and I don't understand how we are better considering we played them better last year.

Can you help me?

[PonderinHog]

Hey guys, all I looked at is the score, ignoring the first half and the fact that we were on the road, and the fact that Arkansas was never actually in the game last year, and I don't understand how we are better considering we played them better last year.

Can you help me?

It's gonna be tough...   

[Deep Shoat]

Very good point - Completely forgot about them rocking Clemson (I didn't watch much of it). I like them to win the East.

Just based on this weekend:

1) A&M
2) AU/UGA
4) LSU

TAMU isn't #1.  They gave up 28 easy points to a bad offense right down the middle.  They have the same issues we do, defensively.  I doubt they win more than 8 games.

[MCheisman]

Auburn is way better. Not a fair comparison at all.

[The_Iceman]

One thing that was clear to me this weekend:

SEC >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Every other conference.

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

Auburn wasn't as good last year.

I agree with this.. I work with a myriad of SEC fans. After the "10 in a row" jokes they all said we looked way better this year and to a man they said it looked like we wore out. I believe depth is still an issue and will become less of one in the near future if we continue to recruit like we have been..

[HognotinMemphis]

I agree with this although we probably would have played better at home.  Fatigue is not as bad when 70k plus are cheering for you. 

Clearly au improved since they played us last year, I think we have too.  The gap is the same.

Funny...immediately after the game there were several posts here on Hogville saying that Auburn not as good as last year. They had not had time to think about how the game with them went last season. As I've said each time another fan says we will improve, so will all the other SEC teams, at least the top half dozen or so. I think we can see that Auburn is every bit as good as last year, and likely better. Heck, they have 2 QB's who are a level or two better that our starter.