The Auburn Tigers (4-5, 1-5) fired head coach Hugh Freeze, prior to their SEC road game against the Vanderbilt Commodores (7-2, 3-2) in Week 11. In the meantime, defensive coordinator DJ Durkin will be the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Can Durkin and the Tigers play spoiler to the Commodores and give fans a look to the future of Auburn football? With an improvement on offense and the defense maintaining their production, Auburn and Durkin have the potential to do so. With that in mind, let’s dive into this Auburn vs. Vanderbilt 2025 college football game preview.
Auburn Tigers vs. Vanderbilt Commodores: 2025 College Football Preview
Matchup History and Excerpts
Auburn and Vanderbilt have played each other 45 times in their storied histories. Surprisingly, the teams are split dead even and have each won 22 games, with one tie. Vanderbilt won the game last year due to the curse of Diego Pavia that Hugh Freeze could not overcome. However, most of Vanderbilt’s success had come prior to 1978, with them only winning in 2008, 2012, and 2024 post-1978.
In his first press conference as head coach, DJ Durkin named Derrick Nix as the sole play-caller for the offensive side of the ball and maintained his own play-calling duties on defense. The biggest question this will yield is whether the offense improves, and does the defense hold its level of play?
The answer lies within the key players for Auburn, and how they match up with Vanderbilt.
Key Players and Predictions
Auburn Key Offensive Players
Ashton Daniels will be the starting quarterback for the Auburn in this matchup. This automatically makes him a key player in this contest. Daniels did not have a good game against Kentucky, but the whole offense struggled in that contest. The offensive line could not block a pop-up if their computer asked them, and Daniels struggled mightily because of it.
He was 13-of-28 passing and threw for 108 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception (on the last possession for Auburn). He carried the ball 15 times for 48 yards against Kentucky as well. The biggest thing for Auburn and Daniels is being able to take advantage of what the defense gives them. Can they do that against Vanderbilt with Nix as play caller?
The offensive line is the next key in this matchup. Vanderbilt has allowed 5.41 yards per play this year to opposing offenses. The Commodore defense has 21 sacks on the year and eight forced fumbles. They can create pressure, but clearly have struggled to do so consistently. Yet, they have the perfect “get right” matchup against Auburn, who gave up seven sacks against Kentucky last week. Auburn’s offensive line has to play better.
The way that Nix and company can help them do this is by establishing the run, and getting them on the move with rollouts and screens in the passing game. Auburn quarterbacks have been sacked 37 times. They are going to have to be aggressive, push people off the line, create lanes in the running game, and move their feet to protect the quarterback at all costs.
The final key offensive player is Eric Singleton Jr.. Singleton had nine targets on Saturday against Kentucky that resulted in just two receptions for 12 yards. However, that is neither Singleton’s nor Daniels’ fault. With a new play-caller and further emphasis on the run game, trust is going to matter in the passing game.
Vanderbilt Key Offensive Players
Have you heard of Diego Pavia? If you haven’t, he is one of the top quarterbacks in the country and the leader of the Vanderbilt Commodores. His talent and leadership are why he is the key player for the Commodore offense.
Pavia has 2063 passing yards on 69-percent completion rate this season, with 18 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also has 99 carries for 501 yards and six touchdowns. He is a dynamic playmaker who the offense runs through. If Auburn stops Pavia, then the game will be close.
The next key player for Vanderbilt is standout tight end, Eli Stowers. Stowers leads the team in receptions and receiving yards, while he is second on the team in receiving touchdowns. He has 38 receptions for 543 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 14.3 yards per catch. At 6-foot-4, the senior tight end provides a redzone threat, but is also more than capable of eating up yards after the catch.
The one area that Vanderbilt has not utilized Stowers as much as New Mexico State did, is the running game. There, Stowers had 29 carries for 125 yards and two touchdowns. This further emphasizes his versatility and why he will be a threat against Auburn.
Sedrick Alexander and Makhilyn Young are the final two key players for Vanderbilt. They fill out the rushing attack for Vanderbilt and offer a two-headed monster that is hard to defend. Alexander has 78 carries for 399 yards and six touchdowns, while Young has 35 carries for 389 yards and five touchdowns. The pair has also combined for 20 receptions and 180 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. They both average over five yards per carry and eight yards per reception. The duo is explosive, especially Young, and are key pieces to the Commodore offense. The combination of these two backs and Pavia make the rushing attack a daunting force to face for any defense. However, the Tigers match up well with them.
Auburn Key Defensive Players
The Auburn defense has been stellar this season, not allowing more than 24 points to a single opponent this year. That defense is led by Keldric Faulk, a future first-round NFL talent and menace on the defensive line. His stats this year are not nearly as impressive because most teams are double-teaming him to slow him down. However, he is still tied for fifth on the team in total tackles (25), and has two sacks.
With that said, his presence has allowed other players like Keyron Crawford, Amaris Williams, Chris Murray, and Jared Smith to all accrue at least 1.5 sacks. Crawford has benefited the most with five sacks on the season. Vanderbilt is going to have to find a way to slow him down, or the run game and Pavia could suffer significantly.
The next key player is Xavier Atkins. Atkins has been a phenomenal transfer portal addition, and has played incredible under DJ Durkin this year. He has 69 total tackles, seven sacks, one pass defended, one interception, and two forced fumbles this season. His tackles and sacks lead the team and his entire stat line shows his versatility and range as a linebacker. However, the area that he could be most important in against Vanderbilt is actually in coverage. Atkins is only 6-foot, but could be used as a committee approach to cover Eli Stowers; and it would add another feather in his cap in what he is capable of doing.
Kaleb Harris is the final key defensive player for Auburn. The 6-foot-1 sophomore safety has 28 tackles and one pass defended so far this season. Harris will likely matchup with Stowers (along with Atkins), and his coverage ability will come into question. He is great at sticking his nose in to make a tackle in the run game, so seeing him cover a threat like Stowers will be huge.
Vanderbilt Key Defensive Players
Vanderbilt has multiple players with at least two sacks this year. And, for a team that has given up at least seven sacks in a game multiple times, this is a problem for Auburn.
Their sack leader is our first key player, Miles Capers. Capers has 4.5 sacks and is top-10 on the team in tackles (26). Against Auburn last year, Capers recorded four tackles and one of his three sacks on the year. He knows how to have success against a defensive line that is experienced, but struggling. He will be a key player for how he impacts the run game and pressures the quarterback. If Capers’ name is called a lot on Saturday, then Auburn is in for a rough time.
CJ Heard is the next key Commodore defender. Heard leads the team in tackles (47) and he has recorded one sack and interception. Heard, the sophomore transfer from FAU, has played well in the SEC. He will stick his nose in to make a tackle, but also has the ability to make plays on the ball. Heard will be key in not only stopping the run, but making sure Ashton Daniels rethinks his decision as starter.
The third and final key player for Vanderbilt is junior cornerback, Martel Hight. Hight has 27 tackles and is one of four players with an interception. Hight is listed as the starting cornerback on the depth chart which means he is likely going to have one of two assignments, Cam Coleman or Eric Singleton. Either way he has a top matchup. However, if Hight is able to slow down whoever his matchup is, that makes it much easier for the Vanderbilt defense. The Auburn passing offense has been inconsistent in getting the best players the ball on routes that utilize their skillset. Having a good corner who is involved in all aspects of the game will cause more problems.
Keys to an Auburn Victory
There are two major keys to Auburn winning this game. The first is slowing down Diego Pavia. If DJ Durkin and Auburn want to win, then stopping Pavia early is a must-have.
The Vanderbilt offense is built on long, slow drives that bleed the clock. To stop this, Auburn has to get them into third and long situations where Pavia’s legs are not as useful, and the running game cannot be utilized. If they do this, then they have a shot to win the game.
The second key for Auburn is to score points. The Tigers’ offense has been anemic in its last two SEC games, and has to score more than 20 points in this matchup. If they do that, then they have a shot to win the game.
For Auburn to score 20 points, they have to have balance on offense, but lean on the run. The offensive line has been better run-blocking, so pound the rock. Utilize Jeremiah Cobb, Durell Robinson, Omar Mabson, and especially Ashton Daniels legs to lead to an Auburn Tiger victory and to help setup the passing offense.
Score Prediction: 24-21, Auburn
DJ Durkin Feather in his Cap tracker: 1
Auburn Football: Recruiting Roundup
With it being an away game, Auburn does not have any visits scheduled. In general, the Tigers are in a holding pattern to wait and see who the head coach is. As mentioned in the Kentucky preview article, there are two key pieces for Auburn to maintain its recruiting class, quarterback Deuce Knight and interim head coach DJ Durkin.
Knight needs an opportunity to play in these last three games and show he is the future. Durkin has built rapport with current players and recruits as a phenomenal defensive coach. To retain players on the roster and recruits in the 2026 class, these two are vital.
Auburn did lose one commit, Eric Perry, who flipped his commitment to Memphis. The three-star running back flipped shortly after the announcement of Hugh Freeze’s firing. The last two games of the season are home games and the Iron Bowl will be a major recruiting weekend, with tons of official and unofficial visits already scheduled.
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