Previewing Saturday’s Alabama Crimson Tide at Auburn Tigers college football matchup, with NCAA football betting odds, picks and best bets
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.
Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!
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.
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.
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.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
In this episode, Clint Lamb sits down with beat writer Brett Hudson to recap Alabama’s 66-3 victory over Western Carolina in Week 13.
Cecil Hurt and Clint Lamb, through TideSports.com and The Tuscaloosa News, produce a podcast called “The ‘Bama Beat”, which features all the latest news and analysis surrounding the Alabama Crimson Tide.
In this episode, Lamb sits down with TideSports.com beat writer Brett Hudson to recap Alabama’s 66-3 victory over Western Carolina in Week 13.
The two then turn their attention to the upcoming Iron Bowl on Saturday, as well as the Playoff landscape following Oregon’s loss to Arizona State.
The Georgia Bulldogs versus the Texas A&M Aggies headlines an otherwise soft week 13 schedule for the SEC.
The SEC Championship race is formality at this point. The Georgia Bulldogs wrapped up the SEC East with a 21-14 win over the Auburn Tigers. The LSU Tigers only need a home win against the pitiful Arkansas Razorbacks to wrap up the SEC West. A Georgia-LSU SEC Championship Game will have serious playoff implications. Even in defeat LSU may still advance to the playoff. The same can’t be said for the Georgia Bulldogs.
This week, Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa suffered an injury that shocked the college football community. Tua is out for the season and the Crimson Tide need a little help to make the playoff.
Here’s the SEC’s week 13 schedule including TV times (central time) and networks. Note that these times are central. For instance UGA versus Texas A&M will have a 3:30 kickoff on CBS:
Georgia-Texas A&M is the best SEC game of the week. The Aggies put together an impressive 30-6 victory over the South Carolina Gamecocks yesterday. Georgia’s College Football Playoff hopes hang in the balance once again. The game will serve as an excellent barometer for the playoff. A&M will have played Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Auburn, and LSU by the end of the season.
As for the rest of the SEC, the second best game is probably Missouri-Tennessee. There’s a lot of easy games for teams getting ready for rivalry week.
We break down the 12 teams remaining in the College Football Playoff race, as our Eliminator took out three more teams in Week 12.
Welcome back to the Eliminator. I explain the process behind eliminating teams in my Week 1 post. In short, I ask myself a simple question: “If this team wins out, will they have a chance at the Playoff?” I don’t assume that teams will lose–there’s no need to. The losses will come when they come; and when they do, I’ll eliminate those teams. Until then, they’re not eliminated. It’s that simple. I also track every eliminated team on this Twitter thread.
This week didn’t involve any real eliminations. The three teams we knocked out were all long shots. Florida and Michigan needed miraculous conference titles to boost the resumes, and they were eliminated from their division races this week. Auburn, meanwhile, picked up its third loss.
Instead, we have 12 teams. All 12 can win Power 5 conferences, and 11 of them have one or zero losses. If we get chaos, most of these teams can still get in with even two losses. It’s too early this year to present specific scenarios, because there are so many possibilities.
One thing is very clear, though. We probably won’t see very many eliminations next week, either. These are our 12 teams, and unless we see a surprising upset next week, all 12 will still be alive heading into Thanksgiving weekend. What happens after that, though, is anyone’s guess.
Twitter reacts as Georgia football beat Auburn and punched its ticket to the third straight SEC Championship Game.
For the third year in a row, the Georgia Bulldogs are headed to the SEC Championship.
On Saturday night, No. 4 Georgia defeated No. 12 Auburn 21-14 in a game that came down to the wire, even though Georgia dominated the first three quarters.
But in the end, the Dawgs did enough to hold off the pesky Tigers in a deafening Jordan-Hare Stadium.
A few quick stats before we show you our favorite Twitter reactions:
Cool moment. Kirby Smart just sprinted almost all of the way down the field to catch up to Auburn QB Bo Nix just to shake his hand and say “good game.”
Here are some Georgia football score and stat predictions for the UGA vs Auburn game.
No. 4 Georgia and No. 12 Auburn square off on The Plains at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS from the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.
For Georgia, everything rides on this game. A win secures the Bulldogs a spot in the SEC Championship and gets them one step closer to making a trip to the College Football Playoff.
For Auburn, the Tigers pretty much dictate how the rest of the college football season plays out. Both Georgia and Alabama need to beat Auburn if either want to head to the playoff, meanwhile Oregon, which lost to Auburn early in the season, is hoping that the Tigers can win at least one of two games vs UGA and Bama. If Auburn can win, Oregon’s lone loss becomes a lot more forgivable and gives the Ducks a better argument to the committee at season’s end.
This should be your classic SEC matchup. A good ole fashion bloodbath featuring two of college football’s most physical teams.
Here’s what I see happening today:
Here are a few predictions previewing today’s game.
Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now atBetMGM.
Score: Georgia, 17-10
Stats…
QB Jake Fromm:
18/25, 227 yards, 1 TD
RB D’Andre Swift:
18 carries, 91 yards, 1 TDs
RB Brian Herrien:
8 carries, 52 yards
WR Lawrence Cager:
5 catches, 88 yards
WR George Pickens:
6 catches, 71 yards
DB J.R. Reed:
5 solo tackles, 1 INT
OLB Azeez Ojulari
2 sacks
LB Monty Rice:
9 solo tackles
LB Tae Crowder:
8 solo tackles
K Rodrigo Blankenship:
1/1 field goals, 2/2 PATs
Georgia offensive line:
One sack allowed.
On Georgia’s first drive of the game:
The place will be deafening and Georgia will surprise us all with a deep shot. Next thing we know, Georgia is just past midfield. The drive will stall after two runs and an incomplete pass. Jake Camarda pins Auburn inside its own 15 yard line.
On Auburn’s first drive of the game:
Nowhere to go. Auburn had a bye week to prepare for Georgia’s defense, but you can’t prepare for speed and physicality. Georgia allows one first down and then forces a punt.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
UGA Wire interviews pair of Auburn students on Saturday’s upcoming game with Georgia
Georgia will renew a storied rivalry Saturday against Auburn on the Plains.
Before the Bulldogs and Tigers kick off, we wanted to give you a different perspective on the game. You’ve heard what the Georgia and Auburn media have to say and you probably know how your fellow Dawg fans feel heading into this contest.
Down on ‘the Plains’ we have Miles Espy who is a graduate student at Auburn University and a longtime Tiger athletics season ticket holder, while Frank Parker is an undergraduate student who also attends a number of athletic events at the Barn.
After a successful segment on the hardwood with these two last February, we decided to bring them back. Below, you will find all the information you need from two surprisingly confident Auburn fans heading into Saturday.
Let’s get to it.
We’ve heard a lot about Auburn’s daunting defensive front, including the almost irreplaceable Derrick Brown. Aside from the defense, what can we expect to be Auburn’s biggest strength on Saturday, specifically on offense?
Parker: “I think the biggest strength of Auburn offensively will be the depth at running back. The true freshman DJ Williams has proven himself to be a #1 back with his ability to run between the tackles and catch passes out of the backfield and when you pair that with Whitlow’s return from injury and the always sneaky Shaun Shivers we have a very talented and deep backfield that will give the Dawgs fits.”
Espy: “Auburn’s defense gets a lot of the credit as they should, but Auburn’s offense does have some things going for it. I would say a player to look out for when Auburn is on offense is Anthony Schwartz. A question Georgia fans need to ask themselves is ‘what does Gus Malzahn like to do on offense in big games?’ He loves to run a lot of gadget plays and trick plays. Anthony Schwartz has been on the receiving end of a lot of these classic Gus Malzahn trick plays. He runs on Auburn’s track team, is training for the summer Olympics in 2020, and has run the 100-meter dash in 10.07 seconds. Look for the Tigers to get him the ball in creative ways on Saturday.”
The Tigers have beaten Georgia and Alabama six times this decade, but only one of those wins came on the road (2010 Alabama). Following up on that, what is it that makes Auburn’s home field advantage so special? Not counting the 2010 championship season, almost every major Auburn win this decade has come at home or a neutral-site venue. How does Auburn make a stadium so similar in size to Georgia’s that much tougher to play at?
Parker: “Auburn’s home field advantage is unlike any other in the country. You can tell that the players really feed off the fans and when the student section is rocking and the fans are into it I don’t think any team can come in there and confidently say that they are going to beat this Auburn team.”
Espy: “I’ve attended several Auburn home games throughout the year, and I’ve seen Auburn play at Sanford Stadium four times, including our thrilling 31-30 victory in 2005. The biggest difference is the student sections. Sanford Stadium gets plenty loud, and their students love football just like Auburn students. However, Sanford Stadium has their students scattered throughout the stadium, whereas Jordan-Hare Stadium keeps all the students in one defined area. I believe this, as well as having the largest jumbo-tron in college football, makes Auburn a more intimidating place than Georgia.”
This Auburn team opened the season with a come-from-behind win over a very good Oregon team. After that, the Tigers dropped their two biggest games of the season to date, though they were on the road. The offense has its struggles, but the defense has proven it can keep them in big-time matchups for the majority of the game. With an extra week to prepare for the Bulldogs and a little home-cooking, will we see a difference in the Auburn offense on Saturday? Can Auburn figure out how to put 6’s on the board rather than 3’s?
Parker: “I think we will see Auburn get back to basics this week. Gus is determined to run the ball against this vaunted Dawgs defense and if Bo Nix can minimize mistakes and not have any turnovers Auburn has a great chance to win this game. The bye week certainly helps, considering Gus Malzahn is 8-0 after bye weeks since he has been at Auburn and he is outscoring opponents 282-180 after bye weeks. That extra week really helps round out the game plan.”
Espy: “I think so. I’m not saying Auburn will look like LSU on offense, but I think they look better than they did against Florida and LSU. Something you have to remember is while Bo Nix is an incredibly talented QB and has future Heisman potential, he is only a true freshman. I think the crowd noise at The Swamp and Death Valley gave him problems. He has played much better when the crowd is on his side. He has thrown for more than 300 yards in his last two home games, which were against SEC defenses. This should help Auburn get more touchdowns instead of field goals.”
Every year Kirby Smart has been at Georgia, the Bulldogs have dropped their annual SEC West road game in the middle of the season. With an embarrassing loss to South Carolina in October, playoff hopes are on life alert unless Georgia wins out. Do you think Auburn can catch Georgia off-guard like in 2017 or will the Dawgs be ready this time, after that terrible defeat to a head coach who works for Georgia?
Parker: “Kirby will definitely have his team ready for Saturday. They can’t afford to drop another game if they want their playoff hopes to remain alive. However, this Auburn team is hungry and would love to play spoiler for its rival. It’s gonna come down to which offense can get it going against these very tough defenses.”
Espy: “Georgia wasn’t caught off guard in 2017, and they definitely will not be caught off guard this year. Auburn is a hostile environment to play in and Auburn had a very good team in 2017 and has a very good team this year. As a matter of fact, I guarantee you UGA has had this game circled on their calendars. Players like Jake Fromm and D’Andre Swift remember getting embarrassed at Jordan-Hare two years ago, and they’d love nothing more than to get a win in their return visit.”
Of course we know who you want to win the game, but answering as neutral as possible, what is your score prediction for Saturday? Will the Dawgs clinch the East and head to Atlanta with playoff hopes still alive or will Auburn play the role of spoiler in Jordan-Hare?
Parker: “My score prediction for this weekend predicts an Auburn victory by a score of 17-13. I think it will be a hard fought, physical game where each of the defenses control the game. However, I believe the extra week off will give Auburn the edge so that they can come out on top.”
Espy: “I definitely see a low scoring game. Auburn’s offense has been slow against big time defenses, and Georgia’s offense has been a disappointment this year. Georgia will win the SEC East, but it will not be clinched this weekend! In a battle of two similar teams when it comes to talent, I’ll take the team with home field advantage. Auburn wins 20-10.”
If you could only pick 1 of your 37 mascots to be the official face of Auburn Athletics, which would it be? It’s kind of confusing with all of this Wartigerplainsmen stuff, ya know?
Parker: “I’m not going to entertain this question.”
Espy: “This is such a wonderful question and so beautifully asked. A simple google search would inform you that Auburn’s official mascot is Aubie the tiger. Aubie is a 9-time mascot national champion compared to Hairy Dawg, who has 0.”
(Seems a bit harsh Miles…)
Let’s say Georgia and Alabama beat Auburn, who ends up finishing 0-4 against the SEC elites. Is Gus’ job safe?
Parker: “If Auburn drops both games against UGA and Alabama, I still think Gus’s job is safe. With the highly ranked recruiting class coming in and a young quarterback who has the potential to be a star I don’t see the university letting go of Gus just yet.”
Espy: “I don’t see this happening, but if it does, certainly not. I’ll hate it if Gus is let go. Gus is a very good and underappreciated coach. He’s been more successful against Nick Saban than any other coach in the SEC. However, when your biggest rival has potentially the greatest coach in the history of college football, you’re constantly going to be compared to him.”
How do you expect each of these teams to finish the season? (Guess final record entering bowl season and their bowl or playoff destination.) Ex: Auburn goes 8-4 and makes the Outback Bowl.
Parker: “I think Auburn ends 9-3 and plays in the Outback bowl against Michigan. I think UGA ends 10-2 and winds up in the Orange bowl vs Wake Forest or the Cotton Bowl vs Memphis.”
Espy: “I see both teams ending with the same record in 10-2. Unfortunately, this will not be enough for Auburn to get in the college football playoffs, and I see the Tigers ending up ranked in the 5th spot. I think Georgia is not far behind in the final rankings in around the 7th. This will be good enough for both teams to go to quality New Years Six bowls and beat a team from a lesser conference. Auburn and Georgia finish 11-2.”
That’s all folks! Make sure to check back with UGA Wire throughout the weekend as we bring you extended coverage of Georgia-Auburn.
Georgia football expert picks and predictions for UGA vs Auburn. Stats, score, betting predictions.
The Georgia Bulldogs have a chance to go the their 3rd straight SEC Championship game with a win over Auburn this Saturday.
They have already proven that they control their own destiny, winning three straight SEC East games following an overtime loss to South Carolina.
Many counted Georgia out, saying its season was over with that loss, but the Dawgs kept barking and scrapped their way back into the top 4 and in perfect position to make a trip to the SEC Championship, likely against LSU.
But first, Georgia’s focus is on Auburn. A win, and the Dawgs not only secure a trip back to Atlanta, but can start thinking College Football Playoff – though Kirby Smart would never admit that.
This Saturday in Auburn is going to be a bloodbath, as these are two of the most physically dominant teams in college football.
UGA Wire compiled a list of staff predictions, including the game score, spread, over/under, stat lines and more to get you ready for the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.
Here are the picks:
The money makers:
#4 Georgia (-2.5) @ #12 Auburn: Against The Spread
(Game pick: If you think Georgia will win and cover, Georgia. If you think Georgia will win, but not cover, Georgia*. If you think Auburn will win and cover, Auburn. If you think Auburn will win, but not cover, Auburn*)
Brown has an impressive physical skill set for an interior defensive lineman. He carries a lengthy, yet muscular frame and has a body that’s ready for the NFL. He fires off the ball with impressive acceleration for a big man and has enough mobility to be a threat on stunts. Brown’s power at the point of attack is noticeable, and he carries a lot of upper-body strength in his frame.
When it comes to hand usage, Brown is one of the best defensive linemen in the class. He is good at working off of blocks to make tackles in space, but he also rushes with active hands and has an arsenal that’s full of pass-rushing techniques and counter moves. His ability to create arm extension through his jabs and reset his hands is very good, as well. A three-year starter at Auburn, Brown has the pedigree of an early-round pick.
Weaknesses
Brown has raw strength in his frame, but his pad level prevents him from unlocking his true potential in terms of play strength. He can be a bit too high when he engages with blockers at the point of attack, and he doesn’t always get all of his weight underneath him. Though he fires off the ball pretty quickly, he doesn’t do a great job of converting speed to power.
When Brown gets into the open field, he doesn’t have much in the way of lateral agility. He doesn’t extremely fluid hips or ankles and, for the most part, struggles with changing direction. He’s very much a defensive lineman who desires to fire straight into the backfield, and that can result in him over-pursuing ball carriers or opening up gaps as a run defender.
Bottom Line
A physical defender with size, strength and speed, Brown fits the prototype of a three-down interior defensive lineman. He’s still a bit of a work in progress, but his hand usage and his physical attributes should see him get drafted pretty early when the draft rolls around.
UGA football is banged up heading into the Georgia vs Auburn football game.
The No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs are coming off of a 27-0 smackdown of Missouri, as well as a massive win over Florida the week prior. The Dawgs have been rolling with a three game win streak since the hiccup of South Carolina.
Approaching week 12 comes Georgia’s biggest game thus far, a chance to secure its 3rd straight trip to the SEC Championship.
Auburn is currently ranked No. 12 with a record of 7-2, 4-2 in SEC. Its two loss season is not to be overlooked as the Tigers lost close games at No. 10 Florida and No. 1 LSU.
Last weekend vs Missouri, Georgia won, but it came at cost. The Dawgs lost a few players to injuries throughout the game, but for the most part nothing looks too serious.
Here’s a look at the Dawgs injury report prior to the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry.
Full injury report:
Probable: WR Lawrence Cager
Cager aggravated his shoulder last game and did not return. The Dawgs leading receiver has been practicing this week and is expected to play on Saturday. Having Cager against Auburn will be crucial, as he has become Fromm’s favorite target this season.
Probable: WR Tyler Simmons
Simmons’ shoulder has been bothering for a majority of the season but he should be good to go.
Probable: OL Cade Mays
Mays left the Missouri game with a hurt ankle but has indicated that he is fine.
Probable: CB Tyson Campbell
Campbell missed a significant chunk of the season with turf toe but played vs Missouri and said he felt great out there.
