Key stretch: Auburn

Key stretch: Auburn

Key stretch: at Mississippi State (Sept. 9), Clemson (Sept. 18), South Carolina (Sept. 25).

Prediction: Six of the Tigers’ first eight games are at home, so they have to protect their home turf if they’re going to be a player in the Western Division race. And to set the right tone, they need to come out of September unbeaten, especially with LSU, Georgia and Alabama all lurking on down the road. The other thing to remember is that Auburn plays the first 11 weeks before getting a bye, so there won’t be any breaks to get healthy or regroup. The key is surviving that Thursday night game at Mississippi State the second week of the season. It will be quarterback Cameron Newton’s debut against an SEC defense as a starter.

ESPN.com
7/8/10