The Fix: 5 questions facing Auburn in 2014

The Fix is a look at major storylines following this year's top college contenders, and how teams will handle these challenges heading into the season.

The Auburn Tigers were a win away from glory in 2013, but were done in by a late scoring drive orchestrated by the year's Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, and were forced to watch Florida State celebrate their national title win.

The team looks to follow up their improbable run with another strong season, but will have to make their way through the always tough SEC to do so.

Here are five questions facing Auburn entering the 2014 season:

Can they run the ball like they did in 2013?

The 2013 edition of the Tigers ran for 4,596 yards and 48 touchdowns in their first year under Gus Malzahn. Tre Mason was responsible for 1,816 of those yards, and 23 of those touchdowns. That's especially notable because The Heisman Trophy finalist will be applying his trade for the St. Louis Rams in the fall. Top offensive lineman Greg Robinson has also moved on to the pro ranks, leaving the team with some holes to fill.

Even still, Malzahn's system all but ensures the team will still be able to churn out yards on the ground, and quarterback Nick Marshall is back to spearhead the attack. Center Reese Dismukes is also hanging around to anchor an offensive line that will remain one of the team's strengths. Cameron Artis-Payne, a senior, projects to fill the lead-back role. He ran the ball 91 times for 610 yards and six touchdowns a year ago. Fellow senior Corey Grant was a true home run threat, turning 66 carries into 647 yards and six touchdowns last season.

Will the secondary remain leaky?

The Tiger secondary had plenty of trouble slowing opposing passing games a year ago. The unit finished 13th in the SEC against the pass, surrendering 257.7 yards per game. Worst of all, Auburn gave up 77 passing yards to Florida State on the final drive of the BCS National Championship game, costing the team the crystal football.

Starting cornerback Chris Davis and starting safety Ryan Smith will both need to be replaced, though Joshua Holsey, who tore his ACL prior to the A&M game last season, is expected back.

Gus Malzahn's defensive back recruits have been bigger and more physical than those of his predecessor, Gene Chizik, who targeted smaller, more athletic defensive backs, which should serve the team better in SEC play.

Can they beat Alabama again?

Nick Saban does not like losing. After falling to Texas A&M in 2012 by a score of 29-24, the Tide put up 49 points on the Aggies in a 2013 shootout victory.

Alabama had the chance to settle for overtime in last year's memorable Iron Bowl, but instead, Saban elected to attempt a long field.

That decision surely haunted Saban all summer. He will surely have his boys ready come Nov. 29. Alabama had won four of five Iron Bowls prior to last season.

Will their schedule provide enough of a test?

Auburn's road games will be at Kansas State, at Mississippi State, at Ole Miss, and at Georgia, while they get LSU, South Carolina, and Texas A&M at home. 

A year ago, the team took a seven-game winning streak into the Iron Bowl, capped with a victory over 25th-ranked Georgia. This season, they'll host Samford the week before hosting Alabama. That may not provide enough of a test for the squad in advance of the aforementioned regular season finale at Alabama.

Can Gus Malzahn make his team better in Year 2?

The Tigers won't be catching anyone by surprise this season, so they will need to take another step forward in their development if they hope to remain in the national title conversation.

Malzahn only spent one year at Arkansas State as the team's head coach, and will now be entering just his third season as a collegiate head coach. We know that his running scheme is highly effective, and he appears to have the horses to again make Auburn one of the top schools in the country in that category.

The test for Malzahn will be to make the tweaks needed to put the Tigers over the top, and that means improving the team's aerial game on both sides of the ball.