Ole Miss vs. Auburn Spread Prediction
The Auburn Tigers are in the midst of a freefall but they have a chance to get their struggling offense on track Saturday when they visit the Ole Miss Rebels at 12:00 p.m. ET. Will the Tigers cover as a small road favorite?
Game Snapshot
399 Auburn Tigers at 400 Ole Miss Rebels
12:00 p.m. ET, Saturday, October 20, 2018
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Mississippi
Public Betting Trends
According to oddsmakers from online sports book BetNow.eu, the Tigers are 4-point favorites to beat the Rebels. The total, meanwhile, sits at 63 points. As of this writing, 61% of the public betting tickets wagered on this matchup are on the Tigers.
Auburn Tigers
Auburn HC Gus Malzahn gave redshirt junior QB Jarrett Stidham a vote of confidence going forward. “Jarrett Stidham will be our starting quarterback,” Malzahn told Al.com. “He needs to protect the football better; he understands that, but I do have confidence in him and I think he’ll lead us in the right way moving forward.” It’s been an extremely disappointing season for the 6-foot-3, 215-pound quarterback, as he’s struggled with accuracy and efficiency while leading the Tigers to just a 4-3 record. Still, Stidham gives Auburn the best chance to win, and it would be an upset if there was another starter at the position as long as he’s healthy. At least for now.
Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss junior WR D.K. Metcalf will miss the remainder of the season with a neck injury. Metcalf injured his neck in the second quarter of Saturday’s win over Arkansas. At the time, it was hoped that the injury was a minor neck strain. The news the Rebels got back from doctors was decidedly worse. HC Matt Luke declined to elaborate, but did say the injury will likely require surgery but that it won’t threaten Metcalf’s availability beyond this season. Such unfortunate news. Metcalf was in the middle of the breakout campaign we’d all hoped for, ranking eighth nationally in yards per catch (21.9) with a 26-569-5 line. The 6-foot-4, 230-pounder is the consensus top WR in the 2019 NFL Draft class according to The Draft Network’s team of analysts. With only 67 career catches, it’ll be interesting to see if Metcalf declares over the winter, or if this injury will be enough to convince him to return to Oxford.
Betting Trends
Auburn
The Tigers are 4-0-1 against the spread in their last five games against the Rebels and are 8-3 against the number in their last 11 trips to Oxford.
Ole Miss
The Rebels are just 1-4 against the spread in their last five conference games.
Prediction
It’s circle the wagons time for Auburn. Their offensive line has been horrendous this season and all of the confidence has been zapped from Stidham. That said, this is one of the worst defenses in the nation that they’ll face this afternoon. The Rebels allow 500 yards per game like they’re handing out Halloween candy. Plus, Gus Malzahan has never lost three straight games, going 3-0 when coming off consecutive losses. The kicker? The Tigers won each game by 14 or more points. I see the Tigers releases some frustration this afternoon in Oxford.
College Football Prediction: Auburn Tigers -4