AUBURN AUTHORITY

Game preview: No. 5 Auburn at No. 20 Kansas State

James Crepea
Montgomery Advertiser
Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall leads the Tigers against Jake Waters and Kansas State tonight.

FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY

1) Marshall versus Waters: Nick Marshallvery nearly went to Kansas State until Jake Waters committed in Dec. 2012. It's all worked out well for both programs and how they do in a head-to-head battle will go a long way to deciding not only tonight's game, but also the rest of their seasons as far as individual accolades and how their teams will do this season.

2) CAP lock:Cameron Artis-Payne is off to a great start and will face his toughest test to date against a stingy Kansas State rush defense. The Wildcats have held 10 of their last 11 opponents to under 150 rushing yards, going 8-2 in those games. Auburn has rushed for at least 200 yards, and scored, in an FBS-best 13 straight games. Auburn's offensive line has a considerable size advantage over the KSU defensive front, so providing lanes should not be an issue.

3) Locking down Lockett: Top receivers have had banner days against the Auburn defense and Tyler Lockett could add his name to the list tonight. At 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, Lockett is not Mike Evans or Kelvin Benjamin, nor is he as fast as Odell Beckham Jr., but he's one of the best wideouts in the Big 12, if not the entire country. Double-teaming him is not an option with a dualthreat quarterback, and Auburn rarely plays anything but man defense.

4) Silence the masses: A record crowd is expected in the Little Apple and while 53,000-plus wouldn't cause much of a rumble in the SEC, it doesn't mean Manhattan won't be hostile. Taking the crowd out of it is always key on the road, but it's not just about those in attendance. Auburn, the only topfive team in the polls without a first-place vote, has a chance to show a national television audience why it needs to be firmly in the discussion for the SEC championship and College Football Playoff.

KEY MATCHUP

Auburn front seven vs. Kansas State QB Jake Waters

Mobile quarterbacks have caused issues for the Auburn defense in the past, and Waters will put the Tigers to the test. He's coming off a great outing, albeit against Iowa State, in which he threw for 239 yards and ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Waters will connect with Tyler Lockett, a lot, but a great wide receiver outing won't beat Auburn alone. If the front seven can keep Waters from being a running threat, it'll help the secondary and lead to success.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall takes on what what nearly his Kansas State team tonight.

Nick Marshall
Quarterback, Sr., 6-1, 210

He's downplayed its significance but make no mistake, this game is very personal to Marshall. Waters committed to Kansas State and Marshall's recruitment went through a frantic month afterward before he settled on Auburn. There's no hard feelings on Marshall's part, but he's going to want to show what could have been in the Little Apple. Marshall was able to keep his emotions in check against Georgia last season and he'll need to do the same tonight. He's almost certainly going to have to pass more than he has since the BCS National Championship and deal with a hostile environment in the process.

BY THE NUMBERS

1: Number of ranked nonconference opponents Kansas State has faced at home under coach Bill Snyder before tonight, a 2002 win over Southern California

13: Consecutive games Auburn has rushed for at least 200 yards, the longest active streak in the FBS. The Tigers have also scored at least one rushing touchdown in all those games

20-24-4: Auburn's all-time record in Thursday night games

1997: The last time Auburn won a non-conference game on an opponent's home field. The Tigers defeated Virginia 28-17, but have lost their last five nonconference road games and last defeated a ranked nonconference opponent on the road in 1984

377: Total yards of offense by Jake Waters against Iowa State, including the game-winning 8yard touchdown run, his second, with 1:30 to go

PREDICTION

The expected record crowd won't be an issue as Auburn has been in tougher environments and succeeded. Nick Marshall finds a rhythm in the passing game and the Tigers cruise. Auburn 42, Kansas State 24

THE GAME

When: 6:30 p.m. today

Where: Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, Kansas

Records: Auburn (2-0, 1-0 SEC), Kansas State (2-0, 1-0 Big 12)

Line: Auburn by 7 1/2

On the air: TV — ESPN; Radio — WMSP-AM 740, WLWI-FM 92.3

Twitter: @JamesCrepea, @MGMsports