This year's back group could be the deepest it has been in a few years, due to the many ways each player can attack opposing defenses. One of those players is junior Jeremiah Cobb, who received quite a bit of praise from his head coach this week.

The 60-minute litmus test awaiting the Tigers and coach Hugh Freeze could well be the closest you get it counting a little bit more.

It makes sense to consider Auburn an afterthought in the Southeastern Conference. After all, the Tigers have endured four consecutive losing seasons — their longest such skid in nearly eight decades — and failed to find much consistency since Tommy Tuberville’s heyday 20 years ago.