The fifth-ranked Auburn Tigers welcome in the South Carolina Gamecocks in college football action on Saturday night. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start time and it will be televised nationally on the SEC Network. Currently the odds for the game have the Tigers favored in this one by a comfortable margin.
Auburn remains ranked fifth in the country, but sit below Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Alabama in the SEC West standings. The Tigers are coming off a bye week and lost to Mississippi State a couple weeks back in their only loss to date. Auburn hasn't lost to South Carolina since 1993 and have posted a 9-1-1 record against the Gamecocks the last 11 games. The Tigers won the last game in 2011 by a field goal 16-13.
One thing that might be a negative for the Tigers in this one is having to play at Ole Miss next week. While taking South Carolina lightly doesn't seem like an option for Gus Malzahn and his boys, the possibility always exists. Nick Marshall will look to continue having a good season, combining for better than 1,400 yards of total offense with 14 touchdowns. Marshall gives the Tigers a dual-threat option and as long as they don't turn the football over, they are very good offensively. They sit at +4 in turnover differential for the season while South Carolina sits at -2.
The Tigers are the rare combination of a team that scores a ton of points (38.8, 16th) and also keeps opponents from scoring many points at all (18.3, 13th).
South Carolina already has three losses, two of which came at home to Texas A&M and Missouri. They then lost at Kentucky a couple of weeks ago in giving up 45 points to the Wildcats.
Last week the Gamecocks got a layup win over Furman, beating the Paladins by 31 points. Dylan Thompson has been good at times this season, leading the Gamecocks to 35.1 points per game.
The problem for Steve Spurrier and the Gamecocks is the defense. They're giving up nearly 32 points per game this season, which is a ton of points. Auburn should be able to eclipse that number as well.
Auburn is going to be too tough to beat in this one, at home, on Saturday night. The Tigers are still in the hunt for a potential spot in the football playoff while South Carolina will be fighting for a bowl game after falling to 4-4 on the season. Games against Tennessee, Florida, South Alabama and Clemson will determine that bowl eligibility and they will have to win at least two of those games, which won't be easy.
Auburn should roll down the field in this one.
Free Pick: Auburn 45, South Carolina 27
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