CFB Odds: Both the Arkansas Razorbacks and Auburn Tigers had new head coaches last season but ended with very different results as Arkansas finished 3-9 as a spread roster adapting to coach Brett Bielema’s power running attack. Meanwhile Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, who had the advantage of having been offensive coordinator during the Tigers 2010 national championship season, led the Tigers to a 12-2 season and runner up status for the BCS national championship in his first year as head man. Nearly everything that could go wrong did for Arkansas while Auburn had an incredible amount of fortune last year that will be hard to duplicate.
The Auburn Tigers will host the Arkansas Razorbacks at Jordan Hare Stadium on Saturday with coverage on ESPN starting at 4 PM ET. BetDSI opened with Auburn as a 20.5 point favorite.
Hogs to Pig Out in 2014
A total of seven starters return to both sides of the line led by junior QB Brandon Allen but Bielema will continue to build for a ground oriented power attack that is reliant upon a large and physical offensive line. Robb Smith arrives to become the fourth defensive coordinator at Arkansas in the last four years and has seven starters back from a unit that allowed 30 points per game in 2014. Arkansas is just 3-8 against the spread as a road dog and is just 5-10 ATS in SEC games. The top two ball carriers, Alex Collins, who ran for over 1000 yards, and Jonathan Williams, who ran for over 900 yards, both return.
Better Team but Worse Results in 2014?
The great irony of the 2014 Auburn Tigers is that they may actually be a better team this season than last but yet may not win as much as they had two stunning miracle wins in back to back games against Georgia and Alabama to clinch the SEC West title. Senior QB Nick Marshall will be kept out of part of this game due to being busted for marijuana possession and last year’s top ball carrier, Tre Mason is gone. But eight starters do return to a sophisticated offense that scored 40 points per game last year while six starters are back on a defense that was okay but hardly dominant. Auburn has covered just 21 out of their last 47 games as a home chalk.
Our Pick
Auburn beat Arkansas last year 35-17 but Bielema is optimistic for a better season and we’ll take all those points with Arkansas over Auburn in this one.
