Legends Take: Pat Dye says Auburn walking into Starkville trap

Former Auburn Hall of Fame coach Pat Dye knows all about how difficult it is to win on the road in the SEC. But you might be surprised to hear what he says is the toughest place to play in the SEC.

“Tuscaloosa, Gainesville and Athens are all tough places to play,” said Dye, one of the Legends Poll voters on Tuesday’s opening conference call of the season. “But you go to those venues and you usually lose because they have better players. But in Starkville, they can beat you with lesser players.

“I tell you what [Auburn’s] walking into a trap Thursday night,” Dye added.

Auburn heads to Starkville Thursday for an SEC West showdown with what looks to be an improved Mississippi State squad. The Tigers (1-0), with new quarterback Cameron Newton running the offense, Auburn racked up 608 yards in a 52-26 opening rout of Arkansas State.

Mississippi State was equally impressive in its opener, a 49-7 drubbing of Memphis. The Bulldogs employed a two-quarterback system that passed for 569 yards against Memphis and will test Auburn’s unproven secondary that, at times, looked vulnerable against Arkansas State.

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