Mercer @ Auburn preview

Auburn proved it has a stellar defense after last week's 14-6 loss at defending national champion and No. 2 Clemson but has work to do on offense as it hosts FCS member Mercer on Homecoming Saturday. The No. 17 Tigers totaled 117 yards of offense and sophomore quarterback Jarrett Stidham was sacked 11 times against Clemson, prompting coach Gus Malzahn to tell reporters: "We'll get better offensively, and we'll get this thing corrected. There's no doubt about that."

Part of the issue was that junior running back Kerryon Johnson, who rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in the 41-7 season-opening victory over Georgia Southern, missed the Clemson game with a hamstring injury. It is not clear whether Johnson can play Saturday, but one thing is certain: The Tigers must figure out a way to better protect Stidham before they begin the grind that is the SEC season Sept. 23 at Missouri. "Jarrett’s a really good quarterback, but there were times we didn’t have anybody open,” Malzahn said. “(The sacks) had something to do with him holding the football. He’s a good quarterback; he’s going to have a very good year.” The Bears, who were picked to finish fifth in the Southern Conference this season, blew a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost to Wofford 28-27 in a conference game last week after a 48-7 victory over Jacksonville to open the season.

TV: 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network. LINE: None

ABOUT MERCER (1-1): The Bears are under the guidance of freshman quarterback Kaelan Riley (32-for-54, 373 yards, five touchdowns, four interceptions), who threw two of his three interceptions last week after Mercer fell behind with 3:34 remaining. Senior wide receiver Avery Ward, who missed the Jacksonville game because of a lower-body injury, returned to make seven catches for 113 yards and touchdown versus Wofford. The defense has been paced by junior linebacker LeMarkus Bailey, who leads the team with eight solo tackles and 18 total, and owns the club's only interception this season.

ABOUT AUBURN (1-1): Junior cornerback Carlton Davis (11 solo tackles, two pass breakups) had a huge game versus Clemson. "I think we grew as a defense," Davis told reporters. "We fought through this whole game. We battled. We really found out what we were made of, through all the adversity, and we just continued to fight. We can only get better from here on out." Junior wide receiver Ryan Davis recorded a career-high eight receptions last week while junior running back Kamryn Pettway rushed for 74 yards on 22 carries while slowed by plantar fasciitis in his season debut after he was suspended (undisclosed reason) for the Georgia Southern game.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Auburn and Hawaii share the longest active streak nationally without having a punt blocked at 105 games.

2. Tigers senior K Daniel Carlson was 2-for-2 in field goals versus Clemson, improving his school-record conversion rate to 82 percent.

3. Auburn has won the 11 previous meetings, all of which occurred between 1896 and 1922.

PREDICTION: Auburn 41, Mercer 7