The No. 22 Auburn Tigers are heading into SEC play with a 3-0 record and have been ranked in the AP Poll for two-consecutive weeks after not making an appearance in it since November 2021.

One area of the Tigers' game that has been crucial to the sucess they have enjoyed early this season is offensive execution in key situations such as thirs down and in the red zone.

Head coach Hugh Freeze likes what he has seen during these moments so far this season, and hopes the success translates to conference play.

Freeze has preached improvement in those areas to his team and is enjoying seeing the benefits of the work that has been put in, but he knows the real test has not started until now.

“That was vital to our offseason and our whole focus was being good in the critical downs and red zone, and thus far we have been," Freeze said. "Again, we haven’t faced a defense like we’re getting ready to face, and they’re going to make a lot of teams not do so well in some of those situations."

One of the biggest indicators of Auburn's offensive success against Oklahoma will be if it can find a way to stay ahead of the chains.

Getting behind in that area could allow Oklahoma's defense to prohibit the Tigers from generating any momentum, something they will not be able to afford, particularly playing on the road.

Keeping the crowd out of it will be a difference-maker, and that starts with consistent first downs.

"We’ve got to find a way to be in manageable downs for sure, or it’s not going to be a fun night if you’re trying to do that against that defense," Freeze said. "So to this point, we have improved, but now the tests get harder.”

Kickoff between the Tigers and the 13th-ranked Sooners is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, and ABC will carry the broadcast.