Auburn football is ready for another key SEC showdown, which means the Auburn Wire Roundtable is back for another week.

The Tigers will travel to Knoxville to face the No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers in a key SEC matchup. The game will be Auburn's first true road trip of the season, sparking several major questions, including, "How will Auburn handle a tough road environment?" and "How has Alex Golesh prepared his team to face a tough SEC squad away from home?"

This week, Auburn Wire writers Taylor Jones, Phillip Jordan, and Jac Myrick sat down to discuss Auburn's next game at Tennessee, what they liked from Auburn's Week 4 win over Vanderbilt, and which games in Auburn's brutal October stretch are the most winnable.

Here is this week's Auburn Wire Roundtable ahead of Auburn football's SEC clash with Tennessee on Saturday.

Auburn earned its first SEC win last week, defeating Vanderbilt. What pleased you the most in Auburn's "bounce-back" game?

  • TJ: "They did not appear to let adversity affect their play. Vanderbilt did several things well, including out-gaining Auburn in total yards, but Auburn stepped up and made plays when it needed to."
  • PJ: "The defense played much better than they did versus Florida. The third-down defense forced Vanderbilt to go 4-of-17. The tackling was much better as well."
  • JM: "Their ability to close out the game at the end and how the defense pressured true freshman quarterback Jared Curtis."

Keshaun Singleton and Chas Nimrod appear to be developing faster than past Auburn receivers in recent years. What stands out to you the most about this duo?

  • TJ: "Having experience both on the field and with Alex Golesh is very evident with these two, and it has led to offensive success for the Auburn Tigers. Reliable, consistent wide receivers are something Auburn has needed for a few years now, and it is great to see what two solid receivers in the Tigers' offense look like."
  • PJ: "They are both consistent. Seems whenever Byrum Brown needs a big play, he finds either Singleton or Nimrod. Also, they both have some potential for big plays down the field."
  • JM: "They show something that last year's group of wide receivers didn't: being a complete receiver. They aren't one-trick ponies; you can see the work and dedication they have toward their craft."

How excited are you for the renewal of the Auburn-Tennessee rivalry?

  • TJ: "I enjoy tradition, and Auburn-Tennessee is about as good as it gets in the SEC in terms of tradition. It is a travesty that these two teams have only played eight times this century, and I am thankful that the new nine-game SEC scheduling format allows for this rivalry to be played more often."
  • PJ: "It’s not on the level of Florida, but these two had a solid rivalry when they played more regularly. The two schools met in two SEC Championship Games, 1997 and 2004. Should be a lot of orange at Neyland Stadium Saturday."
  • JM: "It is always exciting to see Auburn matchup with a classic SEC school and get back to the days before Missouri, Texas A&M, Texas and Oklahoma."

Auburn is set to take on a brutal October stretch. Which game do you see Auburn having the best chance of winning?

  • TJ: "I feel like the LSU game on Oct. 24 is the best chance for Auburn to steal a win, since it will be a morning game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. LSU, Ole Miss, and Tennessee have all lost once this season, and their weaknesses have been exposed, but playing three games against top-10 teams, on the road, is never ideal for an up-and-coming team such as Auburn."
  • PJ: "This week versus Tennessee is the best opportunity among those other games. If Auburn can get some pressure on Volunteers quarterback Faizon Brandon, they could force him into some mistakes. He was sacked 10 times versus Texas."
  • JM: " I have to say, playing LSU at home presents flaws that Auburn could exploit, especially with the home environment factored in. I believe the Auburn Tigers have a chance."

What needs to go well for Auburn to upset Tennessee this week?

  • TJ: "Auburn's defense will need to capitalize on two of Tennessee's downfalls: passing and blocking. Tennessee is conservative when it comes to passing the football, and its offensive line struggled to protect Faizon Brandon last week. Auburn needs to capitalize on these areas."
  • PJ: "Auburn has to win at the line of scrimmage. The offensive line will need to do two things. First, create running room for the running backs. Second, they will need to give Brown time to throw. Tennessee is one of the best in college football with 19 sacks this season."
  • JM: "The running game; whoever establishes that running game will win on Saturday."

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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn Wire Roundtable previews Auburn's SEC clash vs Tennessee

Source: Yahoo Sports