College Football Betting Odds: Auburn Tigers at #17 Arkansas Razorbacks
Auburn Tigers (5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS) at #17 Arkansas Razorbacks (2-2 SU, 1-2 ATS)
Saturday, October 10: 12:00 p.m.
BetUS College Football Betting Odds: Auburn -2 ½
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Here are some NCAAF betting trends that may be significant in this game:
Auburn : The total has gone OVER in 4 of Auburn’s 5 games
Auburn: In their last 6 road games, Auburn is 1-5 ATS
Auburn: 4-2 SU in their last 6 games against Arkansas
Arkansas : Is 17-8 SU in their past 25 home games
Arkansas: Is 8-4 ATS in their last 12 games against Auburn
Arkansas: Is 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games against Auburn
It’s going to be an old fashioned Southern shootout Saturday afternoon, when two of college football’s best offenses get together in Fayetteville.
It will also be a homecoming of sorts, as Gus Malzahn- the man credited with turning Auburn’s once dismal offense into a high octane machine- returns to the place where he started his college career as Arkansas’ offensive coordinator in 2009.
Under Malzahn, the Auburn Tigers offense has gone from SEC afterthought to national power. They are currently ranked fifth in the country in scoring offense (41.4 points per game), total offense (512 yards per game) and rushing yardage at 253 per game. Auburn’s passing game isn’t too shabby in its own right, accumulating 259 yards a contest, good for 29 th in college football.
The Razorbacks also have had no problem putting points on the board, with a little help from second year coach Bobby Petrino, and first year quarterback Ryan Mallett. Arkansas currently ranks seventh in the country in passing yardage, behind Mallett, the Michigan transfer who has already thrown for 1100 yards and 11 touchdowns. Last Saturday was just another day at the office for Mallett, as he threw for 271 yards and four touchdowns, in a very impressive 47-19 victory over previously undefeated Texas A&M.
However, while Auburn has a fairly pedestrian defense (giving up 24 points and 344 yards per game), Arkansas may have the SEC’s worst. The Arkansas Razorbacks give up an average of 29 points and over 404 yards per game. Already this season they’ve seen Georgia’s Joe Cox throw for 375 yards and five touchdowns against them, and Alabama’s Greg McElroy pass for 291 yards and three touchdowns a week later.
The key in this one is whether or not Arkansas can get pressure on Auburn quarterback Chris Todd. The senior has looked nothing like he did a year ago when he split time with Kodi Burns, instead throwing for 1230 yards and 12 touchdowns on the season.
It really doesn’t matter how many points the Arkansas high-scoring offense puts on the board, stopping Todd will be the key. If they allow him to throw with little pressure like they did against Cox and McElroy they could be in for a long day.
So how is this one going to play out? It’s a noon game, and Auburn is hitting the road for the second week in a row, after coming off an emotional victory a week ago at Tennessee. The question now is, will there be a letdown?
There are no off nights in the SEC, and after playing arguably their best game on Rocky Top, I expect Auburn to show up a little sluggish in Fayetteville. Meanwhile for Arkansas, I expect them to play to the home crowd, and ride a wave of their own, after a big victory a week ago. Take the home team, getting 2 ½ points.
Our Pick: Arkansas +2 ½
