Auburn vs. South Alabama 2025: Keys to the Game and Predictions

It’s an Auburn vs. South Alabama 2025 Week 3 matchup as the Tigers welcome the Jaguars to Jordan-Hare Stadium, and predictions favor the home team in this contest.

Auburn Tigers vs. South Alabama Jaguars: Matchup History

This week the No. 24-ranked Auburn Tigers play the South Alabama Jaguars for the first time in their history. This is the first time that Auburn has been ranked in the top-25 since 2021; and an upset by the South Alabama Jaguars would ruin that momentum.

Usually, Auburn and Alabama do not scheduled in-state schools like South Alabama, UAB and Troy because the ramifications of a loss would be deafening. Since this is the first time the two programs are playing it will be an interesting matchup between the in-state schools.

Auburn vs. South Alabama 2025: Keys to the Game and Predictions

Auburn is coming off wins against Baylor and Ball State, and will look to build momentum towards their showdown with Oklahoma. Meanwhile, South Alabama coming off a close loss to Tulane and will look to play upset to Auburn – and potentially change the trajectory of their program.

The key players for Auburn will be a little different than who they were against Ball State, and South Alabama’s key players will be vital to them pulling the upset. Ultimately, this is a game Auburn should win, so let’s look at how that happens.

Auburn Offensive Key Players

Against Baylor, we saw Auburn play with what the defense gave them. That led to an extremely successful rushing attack led by quarterback Jackson Arnold.

Arnold led the team with 134 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Baylor. That doesn’t include his passing, where he hit 24-of-28 for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Most importantly, Jackson Arnold did not turn the football. And, his development in the passing game against Ball State was exactly what fans were asking for.

Against South Alabama, Arnold is going to have to show growth from last week. He held the ball in a few situations that led to incompletions or sacks that he didn’t have to take. Arnold has to show he has watched the tape and learned from that. If his stat line is similar to what it was against Ball State, then Auburn fans should be happy.

True freshman running back, Omar Mabson II, is the second key player for the Auburn Tigers offense. Mabson was raved about in camp and could be vital to this game with the current injuries in the backfield. Starting running back Damari Alston is still dealing with a shoulder injury and is a gametime decision. Unfortunately, Durell Robinson had a freak injury involving blood collecting in his thigh that he had surgery for in Birmingham on Sunday. He is out indefinitely, leaving Mabson as the potential running back behind Jeremiah Cobb (if Alston does not play).

Finally, Horatio Fields is the last key player on offense for the Tigers. Fields has eight receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown on the season. However, at least two of his catches have come on crucial third downs. Arnold and Fields have great chemistry, and that should continue to build as the season goes along. If Horatio continues to grow in this offense, Auburn will have three threats at wide receiver.

South Alabama Offensive Key Players

Bishop Davenport leads South Alabama’s offense and is the key player to watch in this game. The junior quarterback has completed 76.3-percent of his passes for 1248 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 52 yards and one touchdown on 15 attempts. He is a dual threat and one that Auburn cannot underestimate as a passer.

Davenport will protect the football and make good decisions, only throwing three total interceptions in his career. If South Alabama wins, it will be because Davenport wills them there with his arm and legs.

The next key player for South Alabama is senior running back Kentrel Bullock. Bullock (along with Davenport) has been able to add a level of balance to the Jaguars offense.

In 2025, Bullock has rushed 47 times for 234 yards and three touchdowns. His longest rush is only 20 yards, but his usage shows he is a key piece of the offense. Auburn will need to focus on him enough to stop him.

South Alabama’s leading receiver this season is Devin Voisin and he is also a key player to this offense. Voisin has 15 receptions for 221 yards and three touchdowns in 2025 and leads the team in each category. Voisin’s running mate is Anthony Eager, who should be mentioned as well. Eager has four catches for 60 yards and one touchdown this year. His presence will make it harder for Auburn to double-team Voisin.

Auburn Defensive Key Players

Xavier Atkins has been a surprise injection of energy to the Auburn defense this year. He leads the team with nine tackles and has two sacks. He has shown that he has put it all together and is exceeding expectations for DJ Durkin and the Auburn Tiger defense. Atkins will be a key piece in stopping the run game of Bullock and Davenport, making sure that they do not break into the second level.

Jay Crawford, sophomore cornerback, is another key player for the Auburn defense. Crawford only has two tackles this season. However, he has seen plenty of snaps and time in coverage. He is an incredible corner, but will have his hands full with Devin Voisin. If Crawford can “take over the game” against Voisin, the Jaguars are going to have a hard time advancing the ball down the field.

Playing alongside Keldric Faulk opens opportunities for all of the other defensive linemen. Amaris Williams is going to be key in helping to contain Davenport and maintaining the Jaguar running game. If he and the other defensive linemen help Faulk with this, it will be a long day for South Alabama.

Other players worth mentioning on the defense are Robert Woodyard and Malik Blocton. Woodyard is tied for sixth in total tackles and has been a nice addition to this DJ Durkin defense. Blocton is going to be needed depth on the interior of the defensive line to help stop South Alabama’s running game.

South Alabama Key Defensive Players

Linebacker Darius McKenzie who leads the Jaguars with 16 tackles and will be key in this matchup. The senior linebacker had 72 tackles and four passes defended in 2024. With that in mind, his range and versatility are quite apparent. He will have to hit gaps hard to try and stop Auburn’s running game. However, he must also be disciplined in the pass game to make sure the middle of the field is covered.

The second key defensive player is Ty Goodwill, who leads the team with five pass breakups. Goodwill also has 13 total tackles, showing clear range and versatility with no fear of sticking his nose wherever the ball is. He will be key in trying to slow down the Tigers’ offense.

Finally, junior safety Wesley Miller will be key to stopping the passing attack. He is the only Jaguar with an interception and is an excellent tackler. These players will need to show their veteran leadership. The defensive line is very young, and that is where the honorable mentions for the Jaguars defense can be found.

Both Nathan Jennings and Emauri Smiley are freshman defensive linemen that have shown promise for the Jaguars. Each has recorded at least one sack, and will look to create pressure against Auburn.

Keys to an Auburn Victory

Auburn should win this game, but maybe not as easily as the Ball State game. The keys for this 2025 Auburn vs. South Alabama matchup are simple, and if done right, should make predictions for this game easy.

Stay Healthy

With Damari Alston battling a shoulder injury and Durell Robinson out with a blood clot, Auburn can’t afford to have more injuries. Auburn coming out of this game without any additional injuries will be key for the future.

Dominate the trenches

Auburn should win the talent battle. This needs to be apparent in the trenches. Yet on offense, the line looked like an area for improvement. With that in mind, they need to impose their will on what seems to be a young South Alabama defensive line.

On defense, the line has been dominant and that should not change against the Jaguars. Keldric Faulk and crew will impose their will, and Durkin will hopefully allow some of the depth the Tigers have built to get in.

Expand the passing game

Last week, Jackson Arnold and company showed that they are capable of passing the ball more. Head coach Hugh Freeze even admitted that he probably forced a couple of plays from a play-calling standpoint. Yet that’s fine against Ball State and against South Alabama.

What needs to happen this week is expanding the passing game. Arnold and the coaches must show they’re able to develop this offense. Quicker decisions and a faster release while trusting his receivers is what Arnold has to do.

Auburn Tigers: Recruiting Roundup

Auburn had at least 31 recruits visit against Ball State in Week 2. For a game that mattered little to the College Football Playoff committee down the road, the amount of hype from a recruiting standpoint was incredible.

Key recruit Chris Wells was in attendance against Ball State. As was his brother, Corey. Ironically, Chris is committed to the South Alabama Jaguars. Yet, Corey joined him for a visit of his own and is projected to flip to Auburn from Texas.

The only visit scheduled so far this week is three-star quarterback from Jupiter, Florida, Champ Smith. This is an interesting position for Auburn because they have offered plenty of quarterbacks in the 2027 class. However, there are at least three four-star quarterbacks in the state of Alabama including Gunner Rivers, son of Phillip Rivers. The other interesting prospect to watch in the 2027 class is Bobby Coleman, Cam Coleman’s brother.