The fifth-ranked Auburn Tigers head to take on the 20th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats in college football action on Thursday night. Auburn is going to have their hands full in this game tonight, but the college football odds have them favored to get it done.
This is a huge matchup between undefeated teams this early in the season. Give Auburn credit for playing Kansas State in this type of atmosphere because heading to Manhattan on a Thursday night sounds like a problem. The Wildcats will be up and ready for the fifth-ranked Tigers coming to town, looking to slow down that has averaged 52 points in their first two games of the season.
Auburn is coming off a bye week and have Louisiana Tech on deck in nine days, so they should be focused and ready to go. Auburn has stuck to the gameplan of running the football and doing it effectively in wins over Arkansas and San Jose State so far this year, racking up 330 yards per game in both of those wins. But this will be the first road game of the season and Kansas State is also coming off a bye last week.
All-time Auburn holds a 3-0 advantage over Kansas State, but these schools haven't met on the gridiron since 2007. Tonight there will be a great matchup at quarterback with Nick Marshall and Jake Waters, who will hold the dual-threat option and try to find Tyler Lockett as much as possible.
The Tigers have covered the number in 13 straight games, which is the best streak in the country for a "Power 5 conference" team. It's also the best streak the last couple of decades, but laying double digits in this game could bring that streak into jeopardy.
Bill Snyder always gets the best of his guys and historically has done a great job of having his teams cover the number. As an underdog the past three-plus seasons the Wildcats are 14-2 against the spread, including going 5-1 as a home underdog.
Kansas State and Auburn will both look to run the football in this one. Both teams are +1 on the turnover differential this season and both clubs have OK special teams play. The team that runs the ball effectively is going to have a big advantage.
Auburn is very good, but playing in Manhattan on a Thursday night is going to test the Tigers, but Kansas State hasn't beaten a Top 5 team since Texas in 2006.
Free Pick: Auburn 31, Kansas State 27
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