Golesh seeks cleaner Auburn start at Mississippi State

Auburn coach Alex Golesh said the Tigers must play better against Mississippi State after overcoming an uneven first half to beat Arkansas two days earlier.

The victory ended Auburn’s two-game skid and gave Golesh several areas of progress to point toward. The defense improved on third down and produced 10 tackles for loss. After halftime, the offense found more success when it avoided penalties and stayed on schedule.

Quarterback Byrum Brown accounted for three touchdowns in the second half. That production did not erase the first-half issues, however, as Auburn made mistakes on five of its six drives before halftime.

Golesh said the Tigers’ attention to detail was off, which hurt their execution. Auburn now has to carry its second-half efficiency into Davis Wade Stadium while avoiding the drive-disrupting errors that slowed the offense against Arkansas.

Why it matters

Auburn’s win over Arkansas stopped a two-game slide and included 10 tackles for loss. The offense also found second-half production when it stayed on schedule and avoided penalties.

What to watch next

Auburn plays Mississippi State at 11 o’clock Saturday morning inside Davis Wade Stadium, with SEC Network televising the game.