5 reasons Auburn makes the 2019 College Football Playoff

Alabama isn’t the only SEC West team that can make to the 2019 College Playoff. Their bitter rivals, the Auburn Tigers can get to the promised land too.

Auburn had their Playoff destiny in their hands last season but couldn’t get the job done against Georgia in the SEC Championship game. Expect Gus Malzahn to remind his players of that game frequently this offseason. He and the Tigers will use it as motivation to reach the 2019 College Football Playoff.

Of course, motivation isn’t the only thing Auburn will need. They’ll need more than their share of talent and luck throughout the season to navigate their challenging SEC slate. Malzahn and the coaching staff have definitely amassed sufficient talent, now they just need to make sure they get the most out of their NFL quality roster.

Auburn may not be the first school you think of when you consider Playoff contenders, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic on the Plains. Tiger fans should consider the return of last year’s top wide receiver as the first of the top five reasons Auburn can reach the Playoff this season.

5. Ryan Davis’ production

Auburn had a prolific passing game last season and no one was more productive than Davis. He reeled in 84 catches for 815 yards as a junior. Davis will be looking to significantly exceed those numbers in his final year as a Tiger.

Unlike some of his teammates, Davis isn’t the sort of player who looks great coming off the bus. He’s only 5-foot-9 and while he has good speed, he isn’t an elite speedster. Davis makes his plays by running crisp routes from the slot and showing good wiggle after the catch.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone if he breaks the 100 catch mark this season. His ceiling as a receiver will really depend on the ability of his fellow wideouts to step up and threaten opposing defenses. If he can get some quality help, Davis has the chance to put in an All-American season for this offense.