Auburn Named Favorite to Win Upcoming SEC Matchup

For the first time in conference play this season, the Auburn Tigers appear to be the favorites

The Auburn Tigers are finally the favorites in another football game | John Reed-Imagn Images

AUBURN, Ala.- The Auburn Tigers (3-3) are set to host the 16th-ranked Missouri Tigers (5-1) this Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Although the Auburn Tigers enter this matchup as the unranked team, they will play host as the -1.5 favorites over Missouri, according to ESPN’s Bet Sportsbook. 

This is the first time that Auburn has been named the favorite in an SEC game this season and the first time in a game period since the matchup against South Alabama.

Auburn has lost three consecutive games against opponents ranked in the top 11. Those opponents are the No.11 Oklahoma Sooners, No.9 Texas A&M Aggies and the No.10 Georgia Bulldogs. Rankings are from the time Auburn competed against them in the respective week. 

In two of those three games, Auburn lost by one possession. The score against Oklahoma was 24-17, and 16-10 against Texas A&M. Both of those games were on the road in hostile environments. The only game Auburn has lost by more than one score was in their most recent loss, which came against the Georgia Bulldogs, 20-10. 

Missouri is coming fresh off a loss to the No.8 Alabama Crimson Tide at home. Missouri has wins against Central Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, South Carolina and UMass, with the lone loss coming from Alabama. 

Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy is currently the leading rusher in the SEC and is second in rushing in the entire country, only behind Jacksonville State’s Cam Cook. However, the Auburn rush defense is top-11 in the country, only allowing 519 rushing yards all season, so it will be interesting to see how each unit will perform on Saturday. 

Auburn’s offense has underperformed so far this season, after all of the offseason hype surrounding the receiver core. Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold does not appear to be comfortable in the offensive scheme. 

Auburn head coach and offensive playcaller Hugh Freeze arguably has not called a good offensive game since the win over the Ball State Cardinals in week two. It does not help Auburn that Missouri has the second-ranked rush defense in the entire country entering this week. 

Freeze may very well be coaching for his job this weekend. If Auburn were to lose, Freeze will more than likely be fired and Auburn will begin searching for its next head coach. Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin will likely be the person to fill in as interim head coach if Freeze were to get fired. 

Auburn has a chance to pull off a win against a ranked opponent this weekend, which the team and program desperately need to build back some momentum. Kickoff is set for 6:45 p.m. CDT and will be televised on the SEC Network. 

Editor's note: ​​Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.