There will be a few interesting elements to watch for when Auburn faces Tennessee on Saturday in Knoxville. Of course, there is the fact that Alex Golesh will be going up against his former boss, Josh Heupel. Golesh was the offensive coordinator at Tennessee from 2021-22 before becoming the head coach at South Florida. Another key part of this matchup will be the running game.

Auburn has struggled this season to get the running backs going. That position group is averaging 117 yards per game through the first four games. They have had moments, but consistency has been the issue. Of course, quarterback Byrum Brown is a big part of that rushing attack, accumulating 237 yards. Despite the inconsistencies in the run game, Heupel knows Auburn has talent in the run game.

"Running backs are good. Run hard, get vertical quickly, " said Heupel during his weekly press conference. "Their quarterback is a big part of their run game. So, making sure, you know, we're fitting things the right way and getting the extra hat when needed."

The Volunteers have one of the best defenses in the SEC, and it showed in their 20-17 loss to No. 1 Texas. The Volunteers held the Longhorns to just 61 yards and 1.7 yards per carry. Tennessee ranks No. 5 in the SEC in total defense, allowing 282.3 yards per game. Tennessee is tough to run and throw against, and Auburn needs their running game to get going to leave Neyland Stadium with a victory. If they cannot, Brown will have to carry them offensively. The Volunteers are also very good at getting to the quarterback. They are tied for the lead in the SEC with LSU at 19 sacks this season. Auburn has given up 14 sacks this season.

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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Josh Heupel compliments Auburn's run game ahead of Week 5 matchup

Source: Yahoo Sports