Tank Bigsby is questionable for the Iron Bowl this Saturday, this is how Auburn can win without him.
Bigsby’s impact on this Auburn team has been substantial to say the least. 527 total rushing yards, five touchdowns, and being added to the 2020 Maxwell Award watchlist are just some of his accomplishments this season.
Chad Morris’s offense has used Bigsby on 92 rushing attempts averaging 5.7 yards. That is almost three times more carries than D.J. Williams or Shaun Shivers. Only Bo Nix comes close with 71 rushing attempts.
Bigsby potentially being sidelined for the biggest game of Auburn’s season will have a major impact on how the team will perform, but there are a couple of key ways that the Tigers can try and mitigate his loss.
Williams and Shivers Shine
Auburn have already faced the majority of a game without Bigsby, he left the field injured against Tennessee in the first quarter. Williams had a modest 11 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown while Shivers had 14 carries for 65 yards.
These numbers were enough against Tennessee, but it will not do against Alabama. Auburn had 165 rushing yards, their lowest since Georgia where they only managed 39 on the ground. Alabama allows an average of 118.9 rushing yards per game and only allowed Kentucky 59 rushing yards in their last game.
Williams struggled in the Iron Bowl last season, attempting eight carries but only gaining 16 yards. The duo will need to establish their tenacity on the ground early as not to put too much pressure on Nix’s arm.
Nix Continues Hot Streak
In his last three games, Nix has completed 72.5% of his passes, which would put him in the top ten if it were his average across the season. Over those three games, Nix has grown more confident in Morris’s offense. He has shown his ability in spotting passes and his talent for escaping the pocket under pressure.
Last season’s Iron bowl saw Nix only complete 15 of 30 attempts. Auburn was heavily reliant on their star-studded defense to make up points with two pick sixes.
Without Bigsby, Nix will need to make up for the lost yardage by having a strong passing game in a tough atmosphere.
The Iron Bowl is set to kick off in Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CST.
