Alabama vs. Auburn Spread, Line, Odds, Predictions, Picks, and Betting Preview
Arguably the top rivalry in college football kicks off this Saturday when the Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1) travel to Jordan-Hare Stadium to take on the Auburn Tigers (6-5).
Other than this being a heated rivalry game, Alabama has a lot to play for. A spot in the College Football Playoffs is still within reach, but the Crimson Tide will need to handle business against a struggling Auburn team. The road to the playoffs and another SEC title still go through Georgia, but Auburn is no slouch of their own. Or are they?
The Tigers faltered badly in last week’s loss to South Carolina. That makes it three straight losses for this proud program, and rumors have already started to swirl surrounding the future of first-year head coach Bryan Harsin. A first-year head coach already on the hot seat? Things seem to have gone south with this team in a hurry.
The Tigers want to establish the ground game with star running back Tank Bigsby, but that may be a tough ask against a stellar Alabama defensive front led by destroyer-of-worlds Will Anderson (22.5 tackles for loss, 12 sacks). The best way to attack this defense is through the air, but it’s tough to rely on step-in quarterback T.J. Finley and a lackluster receiving corps.
Alabama has been hit or miss. They’ve destroyed a few quality teams (Mississippi State, Ole Miss) while underwhelming against teams they were expected to trounce (Florida, Texas A&M in a loss, Arkansas, Tennessee for three quarters). They’re undoubtedly the better team in this matchup, but it feels like a toss-up whether or not they show up to cover large spreads.
The model likes Auburn but isn’t factoring in the malcontent surrounding Harsin and this program. Still, it’s pointing out that this is a lot of points.
