2008 Auburn Tigers College Football Predictions Courtesy of Alex Smart, An Expert College Football Handicapper featured on Touthouse.com. If you are betting college football this year, be sure to buy Alex’s college football picks each week and guarantee a winning season!!

Auburn Tigers (9-4, 5-3 in 2007, 2nd place in SEC West)
Tigers HC Tommy Tuberville took a bold risk before their bowl game with the Clemson Tigers. He installed a new spread offense that would run the hurry-up, and did so from the end of the regular season in time for their bowl game. The end result was a 23-20 victory over Clemson, which should bring all sorts of momentum into the ’08 season for Auburn’s program. Sixteen starters return from last year, and hopes are high that the Tigers can once again be in contention for the SEC crown.

Offensive Outlook: QB Kodi Burns got his first look at the new spread offense in the Chik-Fil-A Bowl against Clemson, and showed that with some work, the scheme will fit his skill-set perfectly. The sophomore will have big shoes to fill, as three-year starter Brandon Cox has departed. The rest of the offense is intact, including all of the starters, and several role players. RBs Ben Tate and Brad Lester should have their production cut into with the new spread attack, but should still play big roles in the offense. The offensive line will start to reap the benefits of starting youth, as three sophomores that started as freshman will join the other two returning starters up front. Many think that this is one of the best offensive lines in the SEC, and should be that way for a couple more years.

Defensive Outlook: The Auburn defense has always been fantastic, and 2007 was no exception. They averaged giving up a shade under 17 ppg, and held the mighty offenses of Florida and Arkansas to a total of 24 points. DE Quinton Groves will be missed, but the seven returning starters on the defensive side of the ball should uphold the tradition of strong Auburn defenses once again in ’08. The key position will be safety, where the Tigers will turn to two sophomores, Zac Etheridge and Mike McNeil to captain the secondary. The junior trio of DE Antonio Coleman, DT Sen’Derrick Marks, and LB Tray Blackmon are all NFL prospects, and should be the leaders of a young, yet talented squad.

2008 Preview: The biggest game of the season for the Tigers will come on September 20th when the LSU Tigers come to town. In all likelihood, the winner of that game will be the SEC West winner, as those two teams are head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. If the Tigers can hold serve against LSU and Tennessee at Jordan-Hare Stadium in back-to-back weeks, we could have two unbeaten teams squaring off on October 23rd when Auburn travels to Morgantown to take on the Mountaineers. The season ends with games against #1 Georgia and at Alabama.

2008 will be a success if… Burns lives up to the hype. It’s going to be difficult, but Auburn has a chance to be a real threat for the National Championship this year. The pieces around Burns are all fantastic, but he will be the key in 2008.

Though Tuberville and the gang will probably slip up one too many times to win the National Championship, don’t be surprised if the Tigers still find themselves in a BCS game, whether it be as SEC champs, or as an at-large team. They can play with anyone in the nation.

Prediction: 10-2, 1st place in SEC West