Defense, special teams carrying Tigers so far

Just as defensive end Sen’Derrick Mark plopped down on the metal bench that runs along the Auburn sideline, he found himself hopping off it.

Marks didn’t even have enough time to finish a cup of water before running back Mario Fannin fumbled again, forcing the defense to make another stand late in the third quarter of last week’s loss to South Florida.

Auburn’s offense started four drives in that third quarter: the first ended in a Brandon Cox fumble, the second was a three-and-out, the third ended in Fannin’s first fumble and, now, he had done it again, fumbling on first down of the fourth series.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” Marks said. “We come off the field and we go and sit down, and they fumble, and then we get back up and have to go back out there two, three times in a row. But every time that happened the defense stood our ground.”

Marks trotted back on the field after Auburn’s third turnover in a span of fewer than 12 minutes. His quarterback hurry on second down led to a sack and an 11-yard loss.

Then on fourth down, Marks blocked South Florida’s 37-yard field goal try.

What follows is South Florida’s three series following Auburn’s three turnovers in that epic third quarter.

First: Brandon Cox fumbles on the South Florida 41. The Bulls have their most successful drive of the third quarter, marching 39 yards on 11 plays before a 37-yard field goal misses.

Second: Fannin fumbles at Auburn’s 21-yard line. The Bulls lose 6 yards on three plays and a 45-yard field goal attempt is tipped by Marks and misses wide left.

Third: Fannin fumbles again, this time at the Tigers’ 23-yard line. South Florida gains 3 yards on three plays and then Marks ends the drive with the blocked field goal.

Three turnovers.

Thirty-six yards. Three field goal attempts. No points.

Defense and special teams.

That’s how Auburn nearly beat South Florida, and it’s how the Tigers escaped with a win against Kansas State in the season opener.

Asked if the defense ever gets mad at the offense, Marks said, “I wouldn’t say we get mad; we may get angry and frustrated. When you look at it, they play offense, we play defense. No matter what happens with them, we go out and do what the defense does.”

And that is stopping opponents in their tracks.

Auburn’s defense has played well enough to win the first two games, but it’s the offense that has kept the Tigers from being 2-0, and it nearly cost them an 0-2 start.

Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp said he has to “guard” against his defensive players becoming bitter about a struggling offense.

“We tell them that football is a cumulative effort throughout the entire game,” he said.

But the offense hasn’t really done its “cumulative” duty. And neither, Muschamp said, has the defense.

What? I thought we just went over all of this: The defense is good and is doing its job. The offense stinks. Right?

Not exactly.

Auburn ranks 11th in the Southeastern Conference — better than only the next opponent, Mississippi State — in turnover margin, which subtracts turnovers lost to those gained. The Tigers have a turnover margin of minus-2 per game.

Of course, some of that can be blamed on the offense for creating all the turnovers. But the blame also rests on a defense that has forced only three turnovers in two games.

That’s sixth in the SEC.

“We have to do more on defense to win games,” Muschamp said. “We have to create turnovers and momentum for our football team.”

Mississippi State brings a turnover mess into Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday. The Bulldogs (1-1, 0-1 SEC) have made nine turnovers in their first two games: two fumbles and a remarkable seven interceptions.

The defense should be able to create those turnovers that Muschamp speaks of. If they can’t, it may be a long, long day again for a struggling Auburn offense.

Mississippi State at Auburn

Saturday
11:30 a.m.
WZDX-54