In a battle featuring two schools that like to mix in a lot of running plays, Coach Gus Malzahn and the No. 21 Auburn Tigers (-4.5) will be taking the field against the Ole Miss Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field. The opening kickoff for this pivotal conference matchup is pegged for 12:00 p.m. ET and ESPN is scheduled to have the TV rights.
Auburn Tigers at Ole Miss Rebels Betting Preview
In this Saturday Southeastern game, Auburn is getting picked as the favorite and is currently giving up 4.5 points. In order to take the favorite, moneyline gamblers would currently have to put up $200 to net $100 back on the Tigers (-200). The Rebels are getting +170 moneyline odds. Oddsmakers have set the over/under (O/U) at 63 points, and should one side can get out in front early, it’ll probably create a nice live betting opportunity.
Sharp bettors are leaning toward both the Tigers and the under. The opening line was originally placed at 2.5 while the game’s over/under was initially 64.
The disappointing Tigers are down 14.0 units so far and 2-5 against the spread (ATS). They’ve been a good under bet and have posted an O/U record of 2-5. The Rebels are up 1.0 unit for moneyline bettors this season. They’re 3-4 ATS and the over’s hit in five of their games.
The Tigers are 4-3 straight up (SU), including 1-3 SU against conference opponents. The Rebels are 5-2 SU overall and are also 1-2 SU in conference play.
When these two schools met last year, Auburn knocked Auburn off by three touchdowns 44-23.
Auburn enters this one on a two-game winning streak while Ole Miss has dropped each of its last two. The Tigers are most-recently reeling from a 30-24 loss to Tennessee last week where Jarrett Stidham completed 28-of-45 passes for 322 yards, two scores and two interceptions. JaTarvious Whitlow (42 rushing yards on 12 attempts) led the ground attack. Ryan Davis (seven receptions, 57 yards) and Malik Miller (six catches, 57 yards) handled the receiving duties in the defeat.
Ole Miss is coming off of a 37-33 win over Arkansas. The team’s defense allowed the Razorbacks to run for 299 yards on 48 rush attempts, along with one rushing TD. Rakeem Boyd had a productive outing in the loss for Arkansas, recording 109 rushing yards and a score on seven attempts, along with 36 yards and a score on two catches. For Ole Miss, Jordan Ta’amu completed 26-of-35 passes for 387 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Scottie Phillips (86 yards on 18 rush attempts, one TD) and the signal-caller Ta’amu (141 yards on 17 carries, one TD) led the running game while DaMarkus Lodge (10 receptions, 80 yards, one TD) and A.J. Brown (six catches, 64 yards) led the pass-catching corps in the win.
Auburn has run the ball on 55.3 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Ole Miss has an overall rush percentage of 50.7 percent. The Tigers have run for 158 yards per game (including 109 per game versus Southeastern opponents) and have 14 touchdowns on the ground this year. The Rebels are putting up 198 rushing yards per game (163 in conference) and have 18 total rush TDs.
The Tigers offense has averaged 218 yards through the air overall (217 per game against conference opposition) and has seven passing TDs so far. The Rebels have put up an astonishing 353 pass yards per game (232.7 against SEC competition) and have 17 total pass scores.
Defensively, Auburn should have the upper hand in both facets. The team has let opponents rush for an average of 126 yards and throw for 208 yards per game. The Ole Miss D has allowed 289.1 yards per game to opposing passers and 210.4 yards per game to opposing runners. The Tigers are giving up an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of only 4.60 to opponents, while the Rebels have allowed a 7.31 ANY/A.
Offensively, Stidham has amassed 1,285 passing yards this season. He’s connected on 63 percent of his 175 attempts with seven scores through the air and four interceptions. He’s got a 6.16 adjusted net yards per pass attempt, including 4.97 over the last two outings.
In the home locker room, Jordan Ta’amu has completed 125-of-198 passes for 1,924 yards, 12 TDs and five INTs. Ta’amu’s ANY/A sits at 8.96 for the season and 13.25 over his past two games.
RELATED: Week 8 College Football Betting Odds and Predictions
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Notes
Team Betting Trends
The Auburn defense has sacked opposing QBs 18 times this year. Ole Miss has registered 16 sacks.
Ole Miss has lost two fumbles this season while Auburn has lost eight.
The Tigers offense has tallied six pass plays of 40 or more yards, while the Rebels have accounted for 17 such plays.
Both defenses have allowed five pass plays of 40 or more yards. The Auburn defense has given up 13 pass plays of 30+ yards while Ole Miss has yielded 15 such plays.
The Auburn offense has created three rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while Ole Miss has created 18 such runs.
The Tigers defense has allowed eight rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while the Rebels have given up 10 such runs.
The Over/Under for Ole Miss’ last matchup was 67.5. The over cashed in the team’s 37-33 win over Arkansas.
Over its last three matches, Ole Miss is 1-2 ATS and the over cashed in each of those three.
In its last three matchups, Auburn is 0-3 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
The O/U for Auburn’s last game was set at 47.5. The over cashed in the team’s 30-24 defeat to Tennessee.
Auburn has rushed for 3.4 yards per attempt over its last three outings and 3.9 over its last two.
Ole Miss has averaged 6.4 yards per carry over its last three matchups and 7.0 over its past two.
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