Defensive keys for the Auburn Tigers ahead of Week 3's game vs Florida
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The Auburn Tigers welcome the Florida Gators to Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday for their first SEC test of the season.
Florida has not played as tough a schedule as Auburn has through this point of the season. Still, the Gators are 2-0 and have one of the SEC's top offenses. The Gators post 59.0 points per game, second-best in the SEC behind Georgia, and rank fifth in the SEC in total offense with 569 yards per game.
The Auburn Tigers regrouped from Week 1's win, where they allowed Baylor to gain 436 total yards, by limiting Southern Miss to just 221 yards in Week 2. Florida will challenge Auburn more than Southern Miss did, and the Tigers must play at a high level defensively to earn a win in front of their home crowd.
Here are three defensive keys for the Auburn Tigers for their Week 3 game vs. the Florida Gators.
Limit what Aaron Philo can do through the air
Auburn's pass defense improved last week, limiting Southern Miss to just 171 yards through the air, a vast improvement from the 333 passing yards it allowed former Florida Gator DJ Lagway to pass for in Week 1. Current Florida quarterback Aaron Philo has 517 passing yards through two games and relies heavily on receivers Vernell Brown III and Dallas Walker to be key targets.
Jadan Baugh must be contained
Florida's best offensive threat is running back Jadan Baugh, and he is off to a hot start with an SEC-leading 296 yards and five touchdowns. Auburn's defense has performed well against the run this season, limiting Baylor to 103 rushing yards and Southern Miss to 50 yards. If Auburn's defense holds steady and limits Baugh's running ability, it could bode well for the Tigers.
Elijah Melendez must continue to play at a high level
Elijah Melendez has been Auburn's top defender through two games with 18 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and three pass deflections. He is also Auburn's top defender according to Pro Football Focus with an 86.5 grade and a run defense grade of 86.9. Melendez must have a great game to give Auburn the best chance to win.
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Defensive keys for the Auburn Tigers ahead of Week 3's game vs Florida
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