'Ready to roll': No. 11 Tigers kick off November home stretch

'Ready to roll': No. 11 Tigers kick off November home stretch'Ready to roll': No. 11 Tigers kick off November home stretch

Jordan-Hare Stadium

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn linebacker Chandler Wooten marvels watching Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson monopolize the SEC's weekly defensive lineman award while combining for 9.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss.

"Sometimes I sit back and I'm just like, 'Wow,'" the junior linebacker said. "What those two, along with everybody else on the defensive line, are doing right now is incredible. I'm glad they're on my team. I'll tell you that much."

For the first time since Sept. 28, Auburn fans will have a chance to see Derrick, Marlon and their Tiger teammates play at home Saturday when No. 11 Auburn (6-2, 3-2) hosts Ole Miss (3-5, 2-3) at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.

"Being able to come back home, being able to play in front of the best fans in college football, it definitely gives us a home-field advantage," Wooten said. "It definitely gives us an extra boost when we come back home."

After a physical game at LSU, the Tigers took two days off from practice to recharge before preparing for the Rebels, who rank fourth in the SEC in total offense, averaging 434.1 yards.

"They have a very good offense," Wooten said. "We know we've got our hands full this week. We'll be ready to go. We'll be ready to roll."

Auburn's offensive players are eager to return to Jordan-Hare Stadium, as well.

"It's going to be a big difference," said sophomore Seth Williams, whose eight touchdown receptions are one shy of the SEC lead. "Being back home is going to be good for the offense because that's where we put up a lot of numbers, a lot of big games."

"It's a difference maker," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said. "We play better at home, there is no doubt. We feed off of our crowd and our group is a lot more comfortable -- that's a great feeling."

After the Ole Miss game, the Tigers have an open date before hosting Georgia, Samford and Alabama in consecutive weeks.

"We are glad to be back home, and we need to kick this thing off the right way. We are playing a team that presents challenges and they're a talented team on defense and offense, so this is a good challenge for us.

"There is something special about our place and our fans and the connection the players have with them; they feed off of them and it is very unique."

Jordan-Hare Stadium is sold out. After more than a month on the road, the Tigers are back.

"We've got the best fan base in the country," Williams said. "With 80,000 people in the stadium, they get pretty loud, they get as loud as LSU and Florida. I feel like they can get louder than them.

"We know they're going to help us out any way they can. You get a little small pass that gets the offense going, they're going to be behind us the whole time. We know it's not going to be a rough environment at home. They're all on our side, no matter what."

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer