The fading Auburn Tigers look to turn their season around Saturday when they visit the surging Ole Miss Rebels for an early-afternoon clash in Oxford. Auburn lost 30-24 last week at home to Tennessee as 19.5-point chalk, failing to score in the second half until 37 seconds remained in the fourth quarter. The Tigers’ second consecutive defeat dropped them to 4-3 on the campaign (1-3 SEC) and out of the AP Top 25.
Meanwhile, the Rebels have won two straight and three of four to enter this contest with a 5-2 record (1-2 SEC). Auburn beat Ole Miss 44-23 in last year’s meeting and is 7-1-1 against the spread in its last nine games against its West Division rival. Despite the recent form of these two squads, Auburn still opened as a 2.5-point road favorite.
- Auburn is 2-7 ATS in its last nine games.
- Ole Miss is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games at home.
- The total has gone OVER in seven of Auburn’s last nine games vs Ole Miss (avg. combined score: 62.22 points).
Auburn vs Ole Miss Game Center
AUBURN DESPERATE, BUT CAN TIGERS TURN THINGS AROUND?
If you’re into buying stocks when they’ve bottomed out, now looks like a great time to invest in Auburn. There’s not much interest in betting on the Tigers following two straight losses that not only derailed their SEC championship hopes but may even put their bowl eligibility chances in jeopardy. Since a season-opening victory over Washington, the Tigers have gone 1-5 ATS. And in their one point-spread cover during that span – a 34-3 win over Arkansas as 29.5-point chalk – the Tigers managed only 13 first downs.
Auburn should be absolutely desperate in this spot because of the daunting schedule that awaits the Tigers down the stretch. With games against Georgia, Alabama and Texas A&M still on their calendar, a loss here to the Rebels would be devastating to the Tigers’ chances of going bowling in December. However, an instant turnaround is easier said than done. Coach Gus Malzahn’s crew ranks third-last in the SEC in rushing yards per game, putting a ton of pressure on QB Jarrett Stidham. Stidham turned the ball over three times last week and after getting booed by the home crowd, his confidence level can’t be too high going into this week’s action. Meanwhile, the defense has allowed 53 points in its last two games after surrendering just 63 in its first five games combined.
REBELS’ RALLY LAST WEEK MASKED ANOTHER POOR DEFENSIVE EFFORT
While the Tigers are struggling and frustrated, Ole Miss comes into this clash full of confidence and momentum from last week’s second-half rally in Arkansas. The Rebels overcame a 17-point deficit by outscoring the Razorbacks 20-6 in the second half, culminated by a 97-yard game-winning touchdown drive in the final minutes. Quarterback Jordan Ta’amu led the way for Ole Miss, accounting for 528 of the Rebels’ 611 yards with either his arm (387 passing yards) or his legs (141 rushing yards). That performance marked the most yards recorded by an Ole Miss quarterback in nearly 50 years.
However, the Ole Miss comeback overshadowed how badly the Rebels struggled defensively against an Arkansas team that barely ranks inside the nation’s top 100 in yards per game. The Razorbacks moved the ball with ease in the first half, going into the intermission with 27 points and finishing the contest with 476 yards of their own. If Auburn’s struggling offense is ever going to get back on track, facing Mississippi’s 122nd-ranked defense looks like the perfect opportunity.
WHY I’M ON AUBURN
There’s obviously not a lot to like about Auburn right now, which is precisely why I like the Tigers in this spot. After struggling so badly in the last two weeks, Auburn’s players should be 100 percent focused and motivated to turn things around, and going out on the road seems like an ideal situation to bring out their best. The Auburn offense should enjoy success against the Rebels’ turnstile stop unit, especially with the potential of an Ole Miss letdown following last week’s comeback.
