The nation’s second-leading rusher, Tyler Ervin (641 yards, 9 TDs), will be on display when the San Jose State Spartans meet the Auburn Tigers. The Tigers and Spartans each have a 2-2 record this season. Players will take the field Saturday, Oct 3 at 4:00 p.m. ET and the game will air on SECN.
Auburn fell to Mississippi State 17-9 last week. Peyton Barber had a big game on the ground in the loss, gaining 137 yards on 27 carries. San Jose State is hoping for another victory like last week’s performance when the team cruised past Fresno State 49-23 in its matchup. Tyler Ervin had an outstanding performance on the ground for the Spartans, rushing for 300 yards and three TDs on 42 carries.
Auburn is a considerable 20-point favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable.
Heading into Week 5 of the college football season, the Tigers are 2-2 SU, but winless Against The Spread (ATS). When it comes to defending the pass, Auburn is one of the best in the country, only giving up 9.4 yards per passing attempt. The Tigers could be able to pounce on San Jose State’s struggles during the third quarter, when they give up 9.2 points per game.
On the other side, the Spartans have a record of 2-2 both ATS and SU. The Tigers have not found a lot of success stopping their opponents’ running games. The Spartans will look to exploit a run defense that ranks 109th in Division I with 216.5 rushing yards allowed per game. Shifting to the other side of the ball, the San Jose State defense can dominate if they take advantage of some favorable matchups. San Jose State’s second-ranked pass defense has given its competition difficulty. Opponents have only thrown for 94.5 yards per game against this menacing group. The Spartans usually get going immediately from the initial kickoff, averaging 12 points in the first quarter this year. San Jose State doesn’t like to give up the ball. The team has an average time of possession of 34:53 this season, putting them sixth in the country.
Predictions: SU Winner – San Jose State, ATS Winner – San Jose State
Notes
Auburn is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games.
Auburn is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games.
Auburn is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games.
Auburn is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home.
Auburn is 18-3 SU in its last 21 games at home.
San Jose State is 2-1 SU when leading at the half this season. Auburn is 1-0 SU when taking a lead into halftime.
Auburn is only 2-1 SU this season in games where it loses the turnover battle.
The Auburn rushing attack is ranked 66th in the nation, while the San Jose State run defense is only ranked 118th. The Spartans rushing game is ranked 40th, compared to the 109th-ranked run defense of the Tigers.
