Four thoughts about Auburn's matchup vs Penn State

Here are some of the consequences of not getting the Nittany Lions at night.

Author:
Lance Dawe
Publish date:
May 26, 2022 1:00 PM EDT

In this story:

Auburn will take on Penn State on September 17th. Kickoff time was recently revealed to be 2:30 p.m. on CBS.

Some fans were not too thrilled with the time announcement. There was speculation that the Tigers would schedule the game to start at night, considering how scenic last year's contest with the Nittany Lions was.

Still, the matchup should be very exciting. Auburn has opened as a -1 point favorite according to FanDuel. On top of that, getting selected to be the CBS game of the week is always an honor.

How could the kickoff time effect the Tigers? Here are some thoughts on Auburn's upcoming game vs Penn State.

A night environment could have benefitted the Tigers...

Sep 18, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback Roger McCreary (23) reacts towards the fans after intercepting the ball during the second quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports — © Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

There's nothing quite like a college football game at night. We got to see it firsthand last season when Auburn experienced Penn State's White Out.

It would have been nice to reciprocate the environment. While there certainly isn't anything wrong with getting the CBS game of the week, it's not going to be as captivating as maybe a game under the lights.

...It could have also helped recruiting

Wilkin Formby takes a picture with Auburn head football coach Bryan Harsin. — Wilkin Formby's Twitter/@wilkinformby

The environment can play an important role in recruiting. Again, Jordan-Hare will be rocking either way, but getting to experience what Auburn can offer at night is truly special.

Auburn needs to meet expectations on the recruiting trail this season, and this game is a great opportunity to show off the scenery as well as the passionate fanbase.

The heat may be an advantage for Auburn

Auburn Tigers tight end Luke Deal (86) fights for yards against Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Christopher Smith (29) at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. Auga01 — © Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

Sure, fall starts in September. Not in Alabama.

I don't doubt Penn State's conditioning staff will do a good job of preparing the Nittany Lions for this game, but I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that the Tigers will be more accustomed to playing in 2:30 Alabama heat. That should not be overlooked.

Would Bo Nix have performed well in this game?

Auburn Tigers quarterback Bo Nix (10) during warm ups at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. — © Jake Crandall via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Over the course of his three seasons at Auburn, Nix played seven night games in Jordan-Hare Stadium. His numbers are as follows:

- 136-of-188 passing (72.3% comp.)

- 259.1 passing yards per game (1,814 total passing yards)

- 9/1 TD/INT ratio

Nix was pretty solid at home when the lights came on. There's a chance that he would have put Auburn in a great position to win the game based off of his previous night matchups.

This isn't to say that Auburn doesn't have a quarterback on roster that could outperform Nix. Bo was not the greatest in Auburn's 2021 contest with the Nittany Lions.