Arguably the best rivalry in college football is renewed on Saturday in the Iron Bowl as No. 22 Auburn looks to knock top-ranked Alabama from the ranks of the unbeaten, but the Crimson Tide are heavy favorites on the NCAAF odds even though coach Nick Saban is out after testing positive for COVID-19.

How to Bet Auburn at Alabama NCAA Football Odds & TV Info

• When: Saturday, 3:30 PM ET
• Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium
• TV: CBS
• Stream: CBS Sports app
• Radio:com
• Opening NCAAF Lines: Alabama -24.5 (total 62.5)

Last Meeting

Last year, Auburn upset Alabama 48-45 in a fabulous game – the loss knocked the Tide out of a shot to return to the College Football Playoff. Shaun Shivers scored on an 11-yard run with 8:08 left to put Auburn ahead and Joseph Bulovas’ 30-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright with 2:00 left for the Tide. Auburn couldn’t get a first down on JaTarvious Whitlow’s three runs while Alabama burned its final two timeouts. But the Tide were called for illegal substitution after the Tigers lined up for a punt and that was that. Jaylen Waddle caught three touchdown passes and scored on a 98-yard kickoff return for the Tide, but he’s out injured now.

This will be the 85^th edition of the Iron Bowl with Alabama leading 46-37-1. This is the 24th meeting between ranked teams in series history and the seventh such game since 2010.

Why Bet on Auburn? | 2020 NCAAF Expert Analysis

The Tigers (5-2) come off a 30-17 win over Tennessee last Saturday. It was Auburn’s first game in 21 days, and there might have been a little rust early as the home team fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter. But the Tigers responded with 27 unanswered points.

The biggest play of the night came late in the third quarter. With the Tigers leading 13-10 and Tennessee threatening to score, junior safety Smoke Monday intercepted a pass from Jarrett Guarantano in the end zone and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. It was the second career pick-six for Monday, and it was the longest interception return for a touchdown by an Auburn player since Zakoby McClain took one back 100 yards last year against Alabama.

Anders Carlson had three field goals and is now 8th in career scoring at Auburn with 243 points, passing Al Del Greco (236 from 1980-83). Carlson is 6th in Auburn career field goals made with 44, passing Al Del Greco (42 from 1980-83); next are Damon Duval (45 from 1999-2002) and Win Lyle (45 from 1987-89).

The Auburn defense is the only defense in the SEC that has not given up more than 30 points in a game this season. Auburn is one of only 12 teams nationally with two or more defensive touchdowns scored this season. The Tigers have committed the fewest turnovers (six) of any SEC team this season.

Ranked Auburn teams are 25-14 against Alabama all-time, including 14-9 against ranked Crimson Tide teams. In Tuscaloosa, ranked Auburn teams are 4-2 all-time (1-2 when Alabama is also ranked). Auburn all-time has a 5-11 record when facing the No. 1-ranked team in the AP poll. Gus Malzahn is 2-3 against No. 1-ranked teams as Auburn head coach.

Star Auburn freshman running back Tank Bigsby is in question for this game with a hip injury. Bigsby is fourth in the SEC in all-purpose average (131.0/gm) and has accounted for more than a quarter (11 of 39) of Auburn’s plays of 20+ yards this season.

Why Bet on Alabama? | 2020 NCAAF Expert Analysis

The Tide (7-0) destroyed Kentucky 63-3 last Saturday. DeVonta Smith broke the SEC and school record for career receiving touchdowns early in the second quarter when he caught a 10-yard dart in the back of the endzone from Mac Jones, giving him 32 scoring catches. He added to that tally late in the third quarter when he hauled in an 18-yard pass from Bryce Young to better the record to 33.

Smith finished the night with 144 yards to go with his two scores, marking his fourth game with 100-plus receiving yards. He now ranks second in career yards with 3,012, first in touchdowns (33) and fourth in receptions (183) at Alabama. Jones finished the game with 230 passing yards on 16-of-24 passes, with two passing touchdowns and an interception.

Najee Harris rushed for two touchdowns, marking the fifth time this season he has recorded two-or-more rushing scores in a game. Harris has also tallied at least one rushing touchdown in six of the Tide’s seven games so far.

It was the 20^th straight game that the Alabama offense scored 35-or-more points, which is the longest streak in major-college football history. Alabama’s last game of not posting 35-or-more points came in the Tide’s 44-16 loss to Clemson in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Jan. 7, 2019.

Jordan Battle’s 45-yard interception return for a score marked Alabama’s 78th non-offensive touchdown of the Nick Saban era and the third in 2020. The Tide also returned an interception for a score against Texas A&M and had a scoop-and-score fumble recovery at Tennessee.

Alabama will make its NCAA-leading 49th (31-17, .646) appearance on ESPN’s College GameDay when the popular pregame show broadcasts from Tuscaloosa for this one. However, Saban will be watching from home. The Hall of Fame coach received a positive test coronavirus test Wednesday and is showing “very mild symptoms.” Because Saban is symptomatic, the test will not be categorized as a false positive. With Saban ruled out against Auburn, the head-coaching duties will fall to offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.

Game Trends

• Tigers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as a road underdog.
• Crimson Tide are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games.
• Crimson Tide are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
• Under is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings in Alabama.
• Home team is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 meetings.

Expert Prediction

• Alabama 41, Auburn 20

 

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