Auburn coach Gus Malzahn laughs at the idea of college football becoming a “quarterback-driven sport.” 
Other coaches bank on  certain trends or old ideals, but Malzahn sticks to the system he has crafted, a system that has turned him into an elite coach in fewer than two years. 
Malzahn took over an Auburn team in 2013 who went 0-8 in the Southeastern Conference the season before. It’s now one of the best teams in the nation, relying on a rush-heavy offense to set up big pass plays. 
LSU played Auburn more than a year ago in a 35-21 victory at Tiger Stadium, dominating the first half in a torrential downpour, but a great deal has changed since then. While LSU’s defensive struggles led to three losses for the season, Auburn won its next nine games, the SEC and an appearance in the BCS National Championship.
Success has followed Malzahn wherever he has gone. He was the offensive coordinator at Auburn when it won the National Championship in 2010, and he led Arkansas State to a Sun Belt championship in his first and only season coaching there. 
The system Malzahn runs appears simple, but under closer inspection, the complexities manifest. The offense probably has 50 different running plays to the  right, and that variety can wear on a team. 
Auburn’s win against Alabama last season was the best example of what Malzahn’s system could accomplish. Anybody watching the game could tell the Crimson Tide was the better team, but Malzahn stuck to the system, and it helped Auburn make a comeback and stay in the game.
Auburn didn’t waver against Alabama coach Nick Saban’s defense, sticking to the run game and succeeding. Auburn ended up controlling the tempo until the end of the game, when it received a miracle on the final play. 
Running back Tre Mason is gone, but senior Cameron Artis-Payne has helped ease the loss, accumulating 117 rushing yards per game this season. Senior quarterback Nick Marshall is Auburn’s second running option, running for 273 yards this season and two touchdowns.
At some point, defenses are forced to put more defenders in the box, and that’s when Auburn strikes through the air. Marshall has a great arm and has wide receivers like junior Sammie Coates and senior Quan Bray who can break down defenses by going deep.
There are no blueprints yet for stopping Malzahn’s system, but there are ways to limit it. LSU can’t rely on speed and athleticism alone; it must respect the system and remain patient, ready to counter what Auburn brings. 
LSU’s first goal should be stopping Auburn on third down, something nobody could accomplish last season. Kansas State gave Auburn fits two weeks ago on third down, which almost led to a far less talented Wildcats team winning the game. 
If Auburn’s offense does stall, LSU needs to grab an early lead just like it did last season. Going up multiple possessions not only gives the LSU momentum, but it takes out Auburn’s crowd until the home team can respond. 
All these things will require big steps for LSU as a team. However, the defense can’t play anything like they did against Mississippi State, and playing sophomore quarterback Anthony Jennings at all is not advised. 
Whatever they do, LSU must be well-equipped. Malzahn is a football wizard, and he doesn’t treat the unprepared kindly. 
Tommy Romanach is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Dallas, Texas. You can reach him on Twitter @troman_92.