Welcome to the big time, Mac Jones.
You’ve had your fun against Arkansas and Western Carolina, dipping your toe into the water of life as a starting quarterback in the SEC. But now comes the real test: the Iron Bowl.
No. 5 Alabama’s redshirt sophomore has been nothing if not efficient when he’s been called upon this season. He’s started two games for an injured Tua Tagovailoa— against Arkansas and Western Carolina — during which he’s completed a sterling 28 of 34 passes for 510 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.
But both of those starts have come at home at Bryant-Denny Stadium. And both of those opponents are currently unranked and below .500 for a reason.
Going on the road Saturday at No. 15 Auburn will be unlike anything Jones has faced to this point in his career.
Alabama coach Nick Saban called the Tigers “one of the best defensive teams in the country.” They have given up the 10th-fewest points per game despite having faced five ranked opponents already this season.
If nothing else, they certainly have the most talented defensive line of anyone, anchored by two potential All-Americans in Derrick Brown (who scores a 91 in the PlayStation Player Impact Rating) and Marlon Davidson (94).
The pressure those two put on Jones could determine the outcome of the game, and whether Alabama has any shot at making the College Football Playoff.
Is Jones ready for this? He’s been sacked just once all season and has been pressured on only 10 of his 77 total pass attempts. Auburn is averaging 2.4 sacks per game and pressuring quarterbacks a league-leading 11.5 times per game.
Brown and Davidson are a big reason for that. Davidson has 7.5 sacks and ranks 15th in the country in defensive pressures (40).
Brown, meanwhile, is a finalist for the Outland Trophy and five other national awards. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn says he should be a Heisman Trophy candidate, calling him a “dominant” and “game-changing-type player.” And the all-around numbers for an interior linemen back that up: 43 tackles, nine tackles for loss, four sacks and four pass breakups.
“He’s got great initial quickness,” Saban said of Brown. “He plays with a lot of power. Uses his hands well. He can disengage from blockers very quickly and push the pocket really well with the power rush. He’s a pretty complete player and as good a player as we’ve played against for a while around here as an inside player.”
He and Davidson, Saban said, “have been difficult for people to block all season long.”
The good news for Alabama is that Jones doesn’t have to win this game all on his own.
“If you look,” Malzahn said, “he has unbelievable talent all around him.”
The offensive line, anchored by two all-conference candidates in Alex Leatherwood (86 rating) and Jedrick Wills (91), has allowed the seventh-fewest sacks in the country (11).
Running back Najee Harris (96), who started the season slowly, has turned into a scoring machine, rushing for nine touchdowns in his past six games.
Then there’s Alabama’s wide receiving corps, which might be the best unit in the country, with potential first-round draft picks in Jerry Jeudy (96 rating), Henry Ruggs III (76) and DeVonta Smith (89). That’s not to mention Jaylen Waddle (78 rating), who is a sophomore and a prolific return specialist as well as a home-run threat at receiver.
Just getting the ball into their hands is often enough to score points, as Alabama ranks second nationally in total yards after catch (2,388) and yards after catch per reception (9.75).
“They can all take short ones a long way,” Malzahn said.
The question is whether Jones will have time to get them the ball in space.
Alabama has leaned on the quick passing game all season, but it will need to be even quicker with Auburn’s defense coming after it.
It’s going to be a race to apply pressure to Jones, and don’t be surprised if Brown and Davidson are the ones leading the charge to the inexperienced quarterback.