The Ole Miss Rebels returned to their winning ways, besting SEC rival Texas A&M 23-3 on Saturday night. They take on another SEC rival in the Auburn Tigers for Week 9 of the college football season. The Tigers showed some firepower in a Week 7 quadruple overtime 54-46 loss to Arkansas. Can the Tigers catch Ole Miss by surprise in a tough home game? Read on as we take a look at one of this week’s top SEC action.
Fill out your weekend with some entertaining college football games. Check out our complete previews for South Carolina vs. Ole Miss and Notre Dame vs. Temple.
[sc:NCAAFArticles ]Ole Miss Rebels vs. Auburn Tigers Preview
Where: Jordane-Hare Stadium, Auburn
When: Saturday, October 31, 12:00 PM ET
Line: Ole Miss Rebels at Auburn Tigers – view all NCAA Football lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Ole Miss Rebels (6-2, 3-1 SEC)
Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly overcame three interceptions to help beat Texas A&M 23-3 on Saturday night. Kelly finished the game with 241 yards and two touchdowns plus the three picks. He completed passes to six different receivers with Laquon Treadwell standing out with 102 yards and a score.
[sc:NCAA240banner ]Kelly and Treadwell should have some big connections in this game. Auburn has struggled against the pass this season, ranking 11th in the 14-team SEC with 228.5 yards allowed per game. Kelly has been the best quarterback in the SEC this season, leading with a conference-high 309.4 yards passing per game. He also leads the SEC with 16 touchdown passes this year.
Ole Miss’ running game could also be up for a big day at Auburn. Running back Jaylen Walton, who leads with 428 yards and three touchdowns on 80 carries, should be able to get past Auburn’s front seven. The Tigers are one of the worst rushing defenses in the SEC, allowing close to 200 yards per game and 18 total rushing scores.
On the other side of the ball, the Rebels will also need to limit Auburn’s own rushing offense. The Tigers tend to run the ball more than they pass. Ole Miss has allowed one of the fewest rushing touchdowns in the conference, surrendering just four through eight games this year.
The Rebels are 5-3 ATS this year.
Betting on the Auburn Tigers (4-3, 1-3 SEC)
It was a big day for Peyton Barber, who rushed for 120 yards and four touchdowns on 37 carries in a quadruple overtime loss to Arkansas. It was his fifth game of 100 yards or more this season as Auburn has relied heavily on the run as they’ve failed to gain some steam through the air. But quarterback Sean White showed a strong arm in the loss, going 19 for 32 for 254 yards passing with no touchdowns or interceptions.
White is now 2-2 as the startng quarterback this season, helping Auburn to wins against San Jose State and Kentucky before falling against Arkansas. He’s relied heavily on wide receiver Ricardo Louis, who has caught 13 passes for 233 yards the past two games. Auburn has a shot to win this game using the passing game as Ole Miss has been left wide open for quarterbacks to take advantage of.
The Rebels are one of the worst teams in the conference in pass defense, allowing 217.4 yards per game and 13 total touchdowns in eight games this season. But they’ve been able to mitigate the damage with 11 interceptions. White should be able to handily dissect the Ole Miss defense, completing 66.2 percent of his passes with just one interception this year.
The Tigers could also have some success on the other side of the ball. Ole Miss has struggled in protecting its quarterback, suffering 14 sacks this year. Auburn has a pretty solid pass-rusher in linebacker Cassanova McKinzy, who has a team-high three sacks this season.
Auburn has won five straight home games, going 4-1 ATS, against Ole Miss.
Writer’s Prediction
Auburn gets the hard-fought victory against Ole Miss. Create a betting account now and get in on the heated conference rivalries in college football.
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