CFB Betting – Auburn Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide

The No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide look to avenge last season’s loss to the Auburn Tigers when the teams meet up in the Iron Bowl on Saturday. Auburn pulled off the mild 48-45 upset as a 3.5-point underdog in that meeting, denying the Tide a shot at another College Football Playoff appearance. Things are different this year with Bama positioned as a 24-point favorite on the college football betting line. Both teams won last week following COVID-related delays. Auburn won its third straight knocking off Tennessee while Alabama torched Kentucky 63-3. The Tide won’t have Nick Saban on the sideline after the coach tested positive for COVID this week.  Bookmaker.eu offers a generous welcome bonus (max bonus $1600)

Auburn Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
Date and Time: Saturday, November 28, 2020, 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL
CFB Odds: Alabama -24, O/U 62.5
Auburn at Alabama TV Coverage: CBS

Odds Analysis

Being favored by at least 20 points at home for the Iron Bowl is nothing new for Bama. The Tide has given at least that many points in two straight and three of the last four meetings at Bryant-Denny Stadium. They are 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS in those three previous matchups. Auburn should be a confident bunch heading in with three straight payout wins, including last week’s 30-17 triumph over Tennessee as a 10-point favorite. The Tigers have also won two of the last three Iron Bowls, though those wins took place at home. Bama has been nearly unstoppable this year winning four straight against the line and going 5-2 ATS overall despite laying at least 18 points in six of those games. The home team has won seven of the last eight meetings with Bama winning four straight at home. The total of 62.5 is the highest since at least 1995.

Auburn Tigers

This is Auburn’s playoff game since any hopes of CFP inclusion ended with a loss to South Carolina last month. That setback also dropped the Tigers from the national rankings, though they reentered at No. 22 following their third straight victory, 30-17, over Tennessee last week. It was a big win for Auburn, too, which had two weeks off prior to that game with a bye and a postponement. Auburn hasn’t won in Tuscaloosa since 2010 going 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS while betting outscored 186-77.

The Tigers will need to score in order to keep up with the country’s third-best scoring offense. That means Bo Nix will have to be at his best. The sophomore quarterback is having a fine season throwing for 1,627 yards with 10 touchdowns. However, the offense lacks pop averaging 28.6 points per game. The group could also be impacted by a hip injury to leading rusher Tank Bigsby. Starting tackles Brodarious Hamm and Alec Jackson are also questionable.

It would behoove the Tigers to run the ball effectively keeping Bama’s potent offense off the field. Shaun Shivers, who scored the eventual game-winning touchdown in last year’s Iron Bowl, could see more touches. He and D.J. Williams combined for 131 yards on the ground last week after Bigsby exited.

Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama’s quest to return to the CFP includes taking out the club that denied them a chance last season. The loss to Auburn guaranteed the Tide would miss the postseason party for the first time. Mac Jones was thrust into the starting role last year in place of Tua Tagovailoa and watched the teams national championship hopes fade under his watch. The team and Jones especially are looking for redemption. Jones threw for 335 yards and four touchdowns in last year’s game, but both of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns.

Just like Auburn the Tide played for the first time in three weeks pummeling Kentucky 63-3 last week. Bama beat its previous two opponents by a combined score of 104-3. Jones leads a balanced and prolific offensive attack completing over 77 percent of his passes for 2,426 yards and 18 touchdowns for the third-ranked passing offense. He’s been intercepted just three times in 201 attempts.

The ground game is anchored by Najee Harris, who has rushed for 797 yards and 16 touchdowns. And despite the loss of Jaylen Waddle, the group hasn’t missed a beat. Alabama has the third-best scoring team averaging nearly 50 points per game while churning out 548.6 yards per contest.

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That amount of points in a rivalry game is almost hard to pass up. But the Tide is on a roll and they would like nothing better than to exact some revenge from last year’s upset loss. Auburn gives up a lot of yards, but they’ve been good limiting points. They haven’t faced an offense as potent as Bama’s, though. Jones is in a different place this year, rising to a Heisman hopeful instead of the backup taking over. And he’ll do what he can to make up for last year’s setback.

CFB Score Prediction: Alabama 48, Auburn  20

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- Phil Simon, Gambling911.com