Five Questions: Oklahoma vs. Auburn
Welcome to Five Questions, a weekly article featuring insights from experts on the Oklahoma Sooners’ upcoming opponents. For week five, Allen Kenney spoke with War Blogle, a realistic, logical Auburn homer that has been blogling since the 2008 season. You can find his stuff at WarBlogle.com or all the socials (@warblogle).
And if you’re looking for more chit chat about the game, Allen spoke with War Blogle earlier this week about what to expect from the Sooners on Saturday and OU fans’ perspectives on the Auburn program.
Five Questions: Oklahoma vs. Auburn
Allen Kenney - Auburn isn't exactly known for its patience with coaches. What is the current level of frustration (or lack thereof) with Hugh Freeze?
War Blogle - Twitter is not real life. Nobody truly thinks he should be fired right now, this season, or maybe even next season. The recruiting class gives tons of hope. The ones that are truly dumping on him right now didn’t want him hired for every non-football reason and are using the two losses for ammo.
Allen Kenney - "Y'all ain't ready for Jordan-Hare." I can't begin to tell you how many times I heard some version of this from fans of SEC teams when OU's schedule was first announced. Can you explain what gives Auburn's home field that mystique, or is it something people have to experience for themselves?
War Blogle - I just attended my 175th straight Auburn home game. I started my freshman year in 2000 till this past Saturday, so I’ve seen a lot. I don’t totally get into the Jordan-Hare voodoo thing that has popped up the last few years. Truthfully, I think that’s something Alabama and Georgia fans use to lessen the idea that their team came to Auburn and got beaten. But yeah, the eagle flight is perfect. It won’t be dark at the start of the 4th quarter, so you’ll miss the cool light stuff. It’s just a good, loud, fun stadium.
Allen Kenney - I guess we have to talk about actual football. I saw a clip of a podcast circulating this week in which one of the participants suggested Freeze should shift one of the team's wide receivers to quarterback for this game. Is the situation really that dire?
War Blogle - Well, that wide receiver played quarterback for Cal against Auburn last season, so it wouldn’t be that crazy. But yes, that just goes to show how blindly people look at a stat line. Auburn’s offense is in the top 30 in college football, they have just thrown a lot of interceptions in really weird spots. However, multiple of those interceptions have been perfectly thrown balls that deflected off the receivers’ hands and flailed directly to a defender. The law of averages will show up soon and these five-turnover games will all even out. Auburn beats Cal and Arkansas with one less interception in both games. That’s what feels somewhat promising, but what is also frustrating.
Allen Kenney - When I watch Auburn's defense, the aggressiveness of D.J. Durkin's scheme really stands out. Do you feel like that aggressiveness is paying off so far, or are opponents finding ways to use it against the Tigers?
War Blogle - Auburn hit Arkansas last week harder than Auburn has hit in the last three-plus years, so I’d say somewhat. However, the issue is third and long. Look up the stat from last week. Oklahoma might just try to take a sack on the first two downs.
Allen Kenney - Any thoughts on how you see this game playing out?
War Blogle - I do think Auburn having home field advantage is huge. I do also think the turnover issue will sort of even out and the true offense will show. I’ve honestly been surprised at how well the offense has performed at times. They just can’t seem to hold onto the ball on the opponents’ side of the 50. I think it will be a loud, fun game. I think Auburn comes out with a close win with a tough stop at the end.
Auburn 24, Oklahoma 20.
What are your score predictions? Post them in the comments.