Auburn football suffered a painful, yet predictable, beatdown at the hands of the defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs Between the Hedges on October 8 to fall to 3-3 on the season. As predicted by many national pundits, the Tigers are imploding in year 2 of the Bryan Harsin era following a February inquiry that nearly ended it after a 6-7 opening salvo in 2021.
Chief among the biggest issues plaguing the Auburn football program in 2022 is the lack of a competent offensive line. Nick Brahms’ medical retirement before the season put the group behind the 8-ball from the jump, but backup Tate Johnson’s injury has compromised things even further for the offense. Robby Ashford rarely has a pocket at all, and Tank Bigsby has been held to under 50 yards every game this season against an FBS opponent.
That is hardly a recipe for success against an Ole Miss defense that proved elite against Kentucky Week 5. Through six games, the undefeated Rebels rank 11th overall in team defense, but their weak schedule outside the Wildcats needs to be factored into the equation. Vanderbilt, Tulsa, Georgia Tech (pre-Geoff Collins firing), Central Arkansas, and Troy are hardly offensive juggernauts.
As for the offense, Jaxson Dart has been powering a a top 25 scoring offense at over 35 points per game. Even against lesser defenses, Dart has thrown five interceptions including two against a bottom-10 Vanderbilt defense last weekend.
Can Auburn take advantage, though? The Tigers are 12th in the SEC and 96th nationally in red-zone defense with opponents having scored on 87.5 percent of their trips inside Auburn’s 20-yard line through Week 6 per AL.com. The Tigers defense has also given up touchdowns on 2/3 of its opponents’ 24 red-zone trips this season. Having forced a total of four turnovers this season, Auburn football is reliant on forcing three and outs, something that’ll be made exponentially tougher by a Vaught Hemingway Stadium buzzing per Lane Kiffin’s demands.
Being pegged a several-score underdog for the second straight week, does Auburn football have what it takes to cover a sizable spread — or even march into Oxford and do the unthinkable — on Saturday, October 15? Fly War Eagle has your odds and a prediction for another week, and another potential era-ending matchup Week 7 (All lines courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook):
Ole Miss vs. Auburn football Odds, Spread and Total
Spread:
Auburn: +14.5 (-105)
Ole Miss: -14.5 (-115)
Moneyline:
Auburn: +475
Ole Miss: -650
Total: 54 (Over -110/Under -110)
Ole Miss vs. Auburn prediction
The Auburn Tigers were merely a chew toy for the defending champion Bulldogs in Athens on October 8, so there figures to be more pride this time around with the onus on Bryan Harsin still present to win in order to avoid being dismissed.
While a win against a surging Ole Miss is tough to project, keeping it within two touchdowns shouldn’t be impossible for an Auburn football team that hasn’t quit on its coach despite all the noise surrounding the program.
Prediction: Auburn +14.5 (-105)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.