The Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1, 6-1 SEC West) travel to Jordan-Hare Stadium to face the Auburn Tigers (8-3, 4-3) in their annual in-state Iron Bowl battle at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday. We analyze the Alabama-Auburn odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.
Alabama is No. 5 and Auburn is No. 16 in the Amway Coaches Poll powered by USA Today Sports. Meanwhile, the Tide are also fifth in the College Football Playoff Rankings, while the Tigers are 15th.
Alabama at Auburn: Three things you need to know
1. Auburn sends its fans to the pay window often. Under coach Gus Malzahn, the Tigers are 7-2 against the spread as a home underdog and 8-2 ATS in its 10 games.
2. Neither team is starting the quarterback they intended to have under center at the start of the season. With Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa out for the season, sophomore Mac Jones gets his first “real” start. At Auburn, true freshman Bo Nix was pressed into action earlier than expected when starter Malik Willis was denied an eligibility waiver. This will be the first Iron Bowl for both starting QBs.
3. The eight wins Nick Saban has vs. Auburn in the Iron Bowl as ‘Bama’s head coach have come by an average of 24½ points.
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Alabama at Auburn: Odds, betting lines and picks
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 1:50 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Alabama 27, Auburn 20
Moneyline (ML)
This is about as low a moneyline (-182) as you’ll ever see for Alabama. However, Auburn (+150) often plays Alabama tough, having won five of the last eight meetings between the two. This game doesn’t look to have blowout potential, so, if you’re think the Tigers will protect their home field, getting +150 is a pretty nice return. But we’re taking ALABAMA to win outright and investing to get a return.
Against the Spread (ATS)
The spread is Alabama -4.5 (+105 for Alabama, -125 for Auburn) and the better-than even money odds are also a rarity for ‘Bama. This one smells of a trap, which the boys in Vegas often do to entice bettors to take the side they want them to. That being said, the slim hopes Alabama has to make the championship playoff needs a decisive win. We don’t expect a blowout, but we can envision the Crimson Tide keeping their foot on the gas if they get an early lead. Take ALABAMA and lay the points.
Over/Under (O/U)
This is a tough one because Alabama is averaging 48½ points a game by itself. Saturday’s O/U is 50.5 (-106 on the Over, -115 on the Under). All the talk this week is about the offenses, but both defenses are allowing just 16 points a game and are capable of dominating. You have two unproven quarterbacks in Jones and Nix in the biggest game of their lives in this in-state rivalry, and we can see the potential for the defenses to dictate the pace of the game and both teams needing to run the ball and prevent turnovers. Take the UNDER.
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