Written by :
Published on :
Preseason rankings and rankings in general are meaningless. But it does give us some insight on who the better teams in college football are. And the marquee matchup in Week 1 of the season features the only two teams in the top-25. It’s a SEC vs. Pac-12 matchup when the Oregon Ducks take on the Auburn Tigers from Jerry’s World. Oregon has serious thoughts of a CFP berth after Justin Herbert decided to return for his senior season. He’ll have to work through a tough Auburn defense to get a victory in the opener.
|
|
Oregon Ducks vs. Auburn Tigers
Date and Time: Saturday, August 31, 2019, 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: ATT Stadium, Arlington, TX
Opening CFB Odds: Auburn -2.5, O/U 57.5
Ducks vs. Tigers TV Coverage: ESPN
Odds Analysis
At No. 11 Oregon is higher ranked than No. 16 Auburn and the Ducks have an experience edge at quarterback and playmakers all over the field. Yet, Auburn opened as a 2.5-point favorite at offshore sportsbooks with the spread climbing a full point. Oregon went 5-8 ATS last season and was just 1-4 SU and ATS as an underdog. Auburn is looking to bounce back from an 8-5 season and the status of coach Gus Malzahn hinges on their play. The Tigers have a stingy defense that allowed them to cash the under in eight games last year.
Oregon Ducks
The decision of Herbert to forego the NFL draft and return for another season has made the Ducks the favorite to win the Pac-12. And a win would be a huge boost not only for Oregon but for the conference, which has been viewed as the not-so-Power 5 league. The pieces are in place for a special season in Eugene, sparking memories of the Chip Kelly days when OU ran around opponents.
Herbert has the tools and experience giving OU a big advantage at the most important position. He has NFL scouts drooling over his size and arm strength and is coming off a season where he threw for 3,151 yards with 29 touchdowns and only eight picks. The one drawback was his accuracy. Herbert completed less than 60 percent of his throws. With a majority of the group that averaged over 427 yards and 35 points per game, the Ducks should be fine.
One concern for OU is its ability to play against a team as physical as Auburn. The O line returns all five starters but will have to contend with one of the SEC’s best groups. We saw Michigan State completely shut down the Ducks in last season’s bowl game, and that group isn’t nearly as talented as what the Tigers have.
Auburn Tigers
With Jarrett Stidham now slinging the ball in the NFL, the Tigers are turning to Bo Nix to lead the offense. It’s a rarity for Auburn with Nix being the first true freshman to start in Malzahn’s tenure. The offense will eventually work itself out, but in the meantime the Tigers will rely on an athletic defense to limit opponents. And this group is nothing the Ducks have ever seen in the Pac-12.
With Clemson losing all four of its D linemen from last season, the best group in college football could be with Auburn. Derrick Brown, Nick Coe, Marlon Davidson and Big Cat Bryant combined for 17.5 sacks last season and will be a nightmare for OU’s line to contain. Auburn’s chances of winning greatly increase if this group can make life miserable for Herbert and OU’s playmakers.
You can’t win if you don’t score and that falls on the shoulders of Nix. A highly sought after recruit with loads of potential, Nix will no doubt have butterflies leading into this game. And he faces an underrated defense on the other side. The Ducks possess speed on that side of the ball and Nix will have to make adjustments.
Bet Ducks vs. Tigers at BookMaker.eu
This is a huge game for both teams with a couple of gimmes on the slate next. And as mentioned earlier, this is a really big game for the Pac-12. A mediocre Auburn team took down eventual Pac-12 champ Washington in the opener last season and the power conferences have played six times over the previous three seasons with the SEC going 5-1. The Ducks have to play a physical game and they can. They also have the pieces in place to have a special year. OU won’t let that slip away in the first game. Nix will be a good one, but facing a team like Oregon in the opener isn’t going to help. I’m taking the Ducks and the points on the college football betting lines with the Under a likely scenario given the defensive strength of both teams.
NFL Score Prediction: Oregon 26, Auburn 22
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker sportsbook! Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available so start betting with BookMaker today.
- This article courtesy of Bookmaker.eu
