The Auburn Tigers’ luck may have finally run out after a disastrous final few minutes cost them not just the game against Texas A&M, but quite possibly their spot in the College Football Playoff as well.
Auburn will have to pick itself up from that heartbreak quickly because it will visit a very dangerous Georgia team that has been scoring points for fun this season.
With Auburn out of the picture, Mississippi State and Alabama are left to battle it out for the SEC West title. Find our preview of that crucial matchup here and read on for more on the Tigers vs. Bulldogs.
[sc:NCAAFArticles ]Auburn Tigers vs. Georgia Bulldogs Betting Preview
Where: Sanford Stadium, Athens
When: Saturday, November 15, 2014, 3:30 PM ET
Line: Auburn Tigers (+3) at Georgia Bulldogs (-3) – view all NCAA Football lines
Betting on the Auburn Tigers
Auburn was handed a win last week at Ole Miss because of a crucial fumble. On Saturday, the Tigers handed a win back and most likely fumbled away their chances of making the College Football Playoff. Down by three in the fourth quarter, Auburn fumbled twice – one of which coming just yards from the end zone – as they fell 41-38 at home to Texas A&M.
[sc:NCAA240banner ]Offensive miscues ultimately let Auburn down, but it wouldn’t have needed a game-tying/winning drive against the Aggies, who were shut out 59-0 by Alabama last month, if their defense could get some stops.
True freshman quarterback Kyle Allen, making his first start in the SEC, threw for 277 yards and four touchdowns while the usually toothless Texas A&M running game ran for a healthy 5.0 yards per carry. In their last four games, the Tigers are giving up over 36 points per game. The Auburn D now faces Georgia’s even more explosive offense, which is averaging 43 points per game, tops in the SEC.
Auburn’s offense is definitely explosive in its own right, and might have pulled off the win had it not been for those late fumbles. The Tigers racked up 582 total yards of offense, with quarterback Nick Marshall getting three more touchdowns (one passing, two rushing). Marshall has scored three or more touchdowns in his last six games.
Meanwhile, running back Cameron Artis-Payne had a career night with 221 yards on just 30 carries with two touchdowns. In his last three games, Artis-Payne is rushing for 6.4 yards per carry with five scores.
However, Auburn could find themselves without their lead receiver, Duke Williams (37 receptions for 598 yards and five touchdown catches), who injured his knee against Texas A&M and didn’t return. He’ll be a big loss, especially with Auburn needing all the points it can get to make up for its faulty defense.
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Betting on the Georgia Bulldogs
After an unexpected 38-20 slip-up against Florida at the World’s Largest Cocktail Party, Georgia went back to winning (and scoring) ways with a 63-31 road win at Kentucky on Saturday. The total has now gone over in eight of the Bulldogs’ nine games this season.
Quarterback Hutson Mason was incredibly efficient has he completed 81 percent of his 16 passes, a quarter of which went for touchdowns. He finished with a terrific 255.1 passer rating.
Meanwhile, freshman sensation Nick Chubb continued to plow through opposing defenses with 170 rushing yards on a mere 13 carries against the Wildcats. Chubb is averaging 167 rushing yards per game in the last month in place of suspended star Todd Gurley.
With the Auburn defense’s penchant for making the conference’s middling offenses (South Carolina and Ole Miss) look borderline unstoppable, the Bulldogs shouldn’t have too many problems moving the ball on the Tigers.
The issue, as it always is when going against Auburn, will be to limit the Tigers offense from answering back. Georgia impressively shut out division rivals Missouri on the road last month, but were most recently gashed for 418 rushing yards at seven yards per carry against Florida. The Bulldogs should expect another predominantly run-oriented attack from Auburn, which could pose similar problems.
Their defense hasn’t exactly been lights out at home against conference opponents, either. They allowed 32 points to Tennessee and 17 to winless Vandy, and failed to cover both games despite winning games outright.
Writer’s Prediction
With more weapons in the air and on the ground, Georgia (-3) gashes Auburn’s defense and covers at home.
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