Auburn, despite its inconsistencies, will offer a stiff road test for Mizzou

For the first time in 2025, Missouri will play a football game outside the comforts of Memorial Stadium.

Playing at Auburn, at night, in a place where normal rarely happens, certainly won’t be a walk in the park.

The 5-1 Tigers were gut-checked last Saturday in a 27-24 loss to Alabama, a game that raised concerns about Missouri’s third-down efficiency and left head coach Eli Drinkwitz searching for answers.

“We had the ball with the chance to win at the end of the game, but we’ve got to find that winning play,” Drinkwitz said this week. “That’s on me as the head football coach.”

Now the challenge shifts to Jordan-Hare Stadium, a venue that hasn’t been kind to Missouri. Three seasons ago, MU’s 17-14 overtime loss to Auburn became one of the defining frustrations of the Drinkwitz era.

This time, the stakes are different. Missouri is chasing a rebound to keep its SEC title hopes alive, while Auburn and head coach Hugh Freeze are trying to quiet growing unrest. Some have speculated that a loss to the visiting Tigers might cost Freeze his job.

Auburn’s ongoing identity crisis

Auburn’s 2025 season has been defined by inconsistency. The offense has talent, but its production hasn’t matched its personnel.

Quarterback Jackson Arnold, a former blue-chip transfer from Oklahoma, has shown flashes of potential, yet the results have been erratic. Arnold has done well to limit turnovers and make plays on the move, but Auburn’s passing game hasn’t found rhythm behind a line that has struggled to protect him.

At the same time, Freeze’s offense has failed to establish a consistent rushing attack despite junior running back Jeremiah Cobb’s breakout campaign.

Drinkwitz called Auburn’s offensive line “one of the most talented in the SEC,” praising its NFL-caliber tackles and physicality up front, but added that it’s still “a group that hasn’t quite clicked the way they want it to.”

When Auburn does move the ball, it’s often through its receivers. Sophomore standout Cam Coleman has quickly become one of the SEC’s premier downfield threats, while transfer Eric Singleton Jr. has excelled in the slot.

Freeze’s scheme, however, has leaned too heavily on sporadic big plays and not enough on sustained drives — a formula that has left Auburn struggling in late-game situations.

Where Missouri must respond

For Missouri, this week is about correcting the details that cost it against Alabama. Drinkwitz pointed to third-down inefficiency as the root cause of last week’s offensive stagnation.

“When you go 1-for-10 on third down, it’s hard to establish any type of rhythm or consistency,” Drinkwitz said. “It wasn’t like we were behind the chains. We just didn’t convert the way we needed to.”

That inability to stay on schedule limited Missouri to just 57 offensive plays and tilted time of possession heavily toward Alabama. Drinkwitz said the fix isn’t just schematic but organizational. “It’s all of us — the plan, the design, the protection, the routes, the decision-making,” he said. “That has to improve.”

Despite the loss, he believes his team’s focus has remained sharp. “Either win or grow,” Drinkwitz said. “That’s been our mindset. You win or grow. A warrior knows there’s always more battles to fight.”

A formidable Auburn defense

Auburn’s defense remains its backbone. Coordinated by D.J. Durkin, the Tigers are aggressive, mixing fronts and disguising coverages to confuse quarterbacks.

“They play a lot of different looks,” Drinkwitz said. “Four down, three down, odd, man, zone — they do it all.”

Edge rushers Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford headline the unit and are both likely future NFL players. The linebackers, led by Xavier Atkins, fly downhill to fill gaps, and the corners are as athletic as any Missouri has faced this season.

Auburn’s red-zone defense has been strong, but its pass coverage from linebackers and safeties has been a weak point, potentially creating an area Missouri could exploit if quarterback Beau Pribula settles in early.

Pribula, who continues to grow as a first-year starter, has shown steady composure despite last week’s loss. Drinkwitz expressed confidence in his development.

“He’s played well enough for us to win five games,” Drinkwitz said. “Every rep is an opportunity to improve. There are always growing pains, but I’m proud of his toughness and composure.”

What to expect

Saturday night will be a grind. Auburn’s defense is sturdy enough to make Missouri earn every yard, while its offense is capable of finding answers at any moment.

Missouri’s front seven, led by Damon Wilson, Zion Young, Josiah Trotter and Chris McClellan, will look to contain Arnold and pressure him into mistakes, while the offense aims to rediscover its balance through running backs Ahmad Hardy and Jamal Roberts.

Drinkwitz made clear this week that there will be no excuses about playing on the road. The team even took a practice trip to Lindenwood in St. Charles near the end of the summer.

“We went on the road in August,” he said. “We know what to expect. We’re not going to have that as an excuse.”

Missouri enters as the steadier team despite coming off a loss. Auburn, meanwhile, is fighting for stability and, perhaps, for its coach’s future.

In a game that could define both programs’ directions, Missouri’s formula is simple: convert third downs, protect the football and finish drives. Do that, and the Tigers could silence Jordan-Hare and head home 1-0 on the road.

Copyright 2025 Columbia Missourian