A Sun Belt vs SEC matchup takes place on Saturday as the Arkansas State Red Wolves travel to Auburn, Alabama to take on the Auburn Tigers. The start time is 7:30 pm (Eastern) and the game will be televised on ESPN3. Current Odds have Auburn listed as 13.5 point favorites, while the total sits at 62.
Analysis: Arkansas State, wasted no time making a statement early in the 2013 campaign, as it blew out Arkansas-Pine Bluff in its home opener, 62-11. It was the first season-opening win for the Red Wolves, who have taken the lat 2 sunbelt Titles, since 2009. The squad also extended its winning streak to nine games, which is the second-longest in the nation presently. The Red Wolves tied an FBS record with four backs who exceeded 100 yards in the opener, as David Oku (124), Sirgregory Thornton (112), Michael Gordon (102) & Fredi Knighten (101) all accomplished the feat. This is not just a running team, as Adam Kennedy passed for 149 yards and a score, which helped Arkansas State pile up 672 yards of total offense in the game, including a whopping 509 yards on the ground. The Red Wolves defense stifled an Ark- Pine Bluff squad that is expected to compete for a SWAC title at the FCS level, allowing a meager 173 total yards, while making 15 stops behind the line of scrimmage. Bryan Harsin, became the first Arkansas State coach to win his debut since 1979.
Auburn won just three games during the 2012 season, which resulted in the firing of Gene Chizik and the hiring of former offensive coordinator Malzahn. Gus Malzahn will now face his former team in just his second game as head coach at Auburn. In his first game with his new team, the Tigers beat Washington State 31-24. Auburn is now an amazing 194-1 all-time when scoring 30 points or more against non-SEC opponents. The season opener was anything but easy for the Tigers, who never led the Cougars by more than a touchdown. Auburn put up 394 yards of total offense, including 295 yards n the ground, but their defense struggled just like it did last year, allowing 464 yards of total offense, including 344 yards through the air. Pass defense was a problem for this team last year as they allowed 223 ypg through the air on a whopping 65.5% completions. Auburn did get 3 INTs in the opener, which was one more than they had all of last year.
Pick: I will look to the Over in this one. Both of these offenses will be explosive this year. The Red Wolves already proved that with their 672 yards they put up in the opener and the Tigers showed in their opener, that they are not a good defensive team. When Malzahn was at Auburn before he was the OC and helped the team put up 41.2 ppg and 499 ypg that year. Last year this was the 2nd worst offense in the SEC, but after seeing game one it would appear that Malzahn will greatly improve this offense, and they will be facing and Arkansas State defense that has just 5 starters back from last year. Also interesting to note that the Red Wolves have allowed 35.7 ppg in their last 12 non-conference road games. This game will be all offense and little defense.
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