An SEC battle between two schools with rich tradition and pageantry will meet on Saturday as the Auburn Tigers and the #2 ranked Georgia Bulldogs go head-to-head on the gridiron. With that being said, it is time to check out our College Football odds series, where our Auburn-Georgia prediction and pick will be revealed.
Sitting with a 3-2 record including a 1-1 mark in conference play up to this point, the Auburn Tigers will attempt to pull off a massive, program-altering upset win on the road against the Dawgs. Coming off a tough 21-17 loss to rival LSU last weekend, the Tigers will attempt to get back on the schneid on Saturday. With a freshman quarterback set to play in the biggest game of his young, college career, does Auburn have enough firepower offensively to cover the spread?
After back-to-back unimpressive showings to a pair of opponents that have been fairly average to start off the year, Georgia's shaky play over the past couple of weekends cost Georgia their top spot in the AP poll as voters dropped them to number two ahead of Week 6 of the college football season. Last weekend, the Bulldogs had to undergo a furious comeback to Missouri to keep their unblemished record alive in the 26-22 triumph. Despite their recent struggles, the defending national champs from a year ago remain as talented as any team in the nation and will have another opportunity to prove that in their return home to Athens.
Here are the Auburn-Georgia college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Auburn-Georgia Odds
Auburn: +29 (-110)
Georgia: -29 (-110)
Over: 49.5 (-110)
Under: 49.5 (-110)
Why Auburn Could Cover The Spread
Things have been far from picture-perfect in Auburn this season, as the days of Cam Newton winning national titles for the Tigers seem to be quite a distant memory. Regardless, in the land where the big boys roam out in the SEC conference, Auburn has an advantage over other schools in the recruiting department and still can turn the trajectory of the program around. While head coach Bryan Harsin's job hanging in the balance, keeping this contest close and even shocking the college football world by going into Sanford Stadium and winning would be just what the doctor ordered.
For starters, the Tiger's margin of error in this one will be as slim as it gets. Even though first-year quarterback Robby Ashford possesses a surplus of arm talent, his limited action at this level of play could result in some costly turnovers that may put Auburn out of it early. Against LSU, Ashford has the best statistical start of his career by throwing for 337 passing yards and even connection on two touchdown passes through the air. Certainly, Ashford is a Wild Card type of player for the Tigers, but if he can play fearlessly without turning the ball over, the chances of Auburn covering will only increase.
Without a doubt, the Auburn defense is one of the best that they have had in years, as they are only allowing teams to throw for under 200 passing yards and are holding the opposition in check by averaging 21 PPG. Whether or not the Auburn offense can score enough remains to be seen, but the Tigers have the bodies defensively to halt a scuffling Bulldogs offense in their tracks.
Why Georgia Could Cover The Spread
It surely hasn't been all roses for the defending champs, but a win is a win right? Throughout the course of a college football season, each participating FBS team is bound to go through some sort of slump during the regular season. Already equipped with a championship DNA, the Bulldogs have been rather impressive against the spread when facing off with Auburn, as Georgia is 6-1 ATS in their previous seven meetings against their SEC counterparts. Even though Georgia has been a measly 2-3 ATS thus far, it is never a bad idea to trust one of the top squads in the nation to cover the spread.
In order to put their ugly play behind them and cover the massive -29.5 point spread, the Dawgs must remain tough on the defensive side of the ball. Through their first five games, the Bulldogs are allowing only 10 points per game which also includes just 264 yards of offense from their opposition. In fact, this defensive unit has given up a touchdown on only 8.8% of their foes' drives. Not to mention, Auburn has struggled to find the end zone themselves by only finding pay dirt 17% of the time.
Offensively, the Bulldogs will need to let QB Stetson Bennett cook! Despite not throwing a touchdown pass in his previous two weeks combined, Bennett is still getting the ball out quick to his wideouts with a total of 584 passing yards in his last eight quarters played. Expect Georgia to test the Auburn defense with some deep shots early to stretch the field vertically and to keep the Tigers on their toes.
Final Auburn-Georgia Prediction & Pick
On paper, a -29.5 point spread sure is a lot of points to cover especially in an SEC conference game. There is a big question mark if Auburn can score enough points in this one, but their defense should keep them in it long enough for them to cover.
Final Auburn-Georgia Prediction & Pick: Auburn +29 (-110)
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