Thinking about Auburn's potential for this season, Marcus Spears brought up the Tigers' 18-13 win over LSU last September.

Led by its defense, Auburn beat LSU without scoring a single touchdown.

The Tigers' defense was great last year, a unit that ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense. Spears, the former NFL defensive lineman and current SEC Network analyst, expects the defense to play at a high level again this season.

To Spears, Auburn has the talent to have a special year. The primary question mark for him, as it is for many in the football world, is the quarterback position.

While the competition for the starting position is ongoing, Jarrett Stidham is a much-hyped transfer who threw for 267 yards in one half during Auburn's spring game and will enter fall camp as the favorite to win the job.

"It hinges on Jarrett Stidham," Spears said. "Auburn is successful when the quarterback is good. We can talk about all these narratives, but Auburn has won when their quarterback has been dynamic. Gus Malzahn's offense has been very hard to defend when he has a guy that can run the (run-pass option) system at a high level."

Auburn was picked to finish second in the SEC West behind Alabama in the SEC preseason media poll that was released last week.

In May, Sports Illustrated had Auburn at No. 10 in its post-spring power rankings.

"They're dangerous this year," Spears said. "They're dangerous to everybody. ... The defense is going to be very good again. So, legitimately, if (Stidham) is like this crazy good quarterback, the Iron Bowl's going to be epic."