Indeed, Mississippi State head coach Zach Arnett stepped into a tough situation. Arnett became head coach when the famed favorite Mike Leach unexpectedly died. Arnett did have the advantage of serving as Hail State’s defensive coordinator before Leach’s passing. But it is never easy following a legend. Especially one so successful and respected as Leach. It has been a tough College Football Betting transition for the rookie HC. And it will not get any easier Saturday at Auburn. The Tigers are also in a struggling transition with new head coach Hugh Freeze.
Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Auburn Tigers NCAAF Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Saturday, October 28, 2023, 3:30 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Jordan Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL |
| TV Coverage: | SEC Network |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State | +6½ -110 | 43½ -110 | +200 |  |
| Auburn | -6½ -110 | 43½ -110 | -250 | |
| ||||
Mississippi State Bulldogs Team Overview
Last game, the Mississippi State Bulldogs won 7-3 against the Arkansas Razorbacks as 7-point road dogs. The game went under the sportsbook total of 45. Miss State has a record of 4-3 straight up, 2-5 against the spread, and 4-3 over/under the total. MSU ranks 94th for total offense, 98th for passing, 76th for rushing, and 78th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 63rd overall, 88th against the pass, 47th against the rush, and 72nd for points allowed. Also, Mississippi State ranks 44th for fewest turnovers lost and 63rd for takeaways.
Namely, Mike Wright threw for 85 yards and a touchdown. He added 60 yards rushing in his first start of the season to help Mississippi State beat Arkansas. Mississippi State was without starting quarterback Will Rogers because of a shoulder injury. Thus, Wright, a Vanderbilt transfer, had a second-quarter touchdown pass to Jo’Quavious Marks. That was plenty for the Mississippi State defense.
Arkansas’ offense, ranked 118th in FBS in yards per game, struggled worse than usual. Especially in the first half. The Razorbacks had just four first downs and 78 yards. Mississippi State pulled itself out of the SEC cellar with the win. Although the Bulldogs didn’t appear to be much of a threat to the league’s upper-tier teams.
Auburn Tigers Team Overview
Last game, the Auburn Tigers lost 28-21 against the Ole Miss Rebels as 6.5-point home dogs. The game went under the total of 55.5. Auburn has a record of 3-4 straight up, 2-5 against the spread, and 3-4 over/under the total. Auburn ranks 103rd for total offense, 124th for passing, 30th for rushing, and 80th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 68th overall, 50th against the pass, 89th against the rush, and 59th for points allowed. Also, Auburn ranks 71st for fewest turnovers lost and 21st for takeaways.
Last week, the Tigers entered action with one of the worst passing attacks in FBS. And it stayed that way against Ole Miss. Ashford and Thorne combined for only 45 passing yards and two interceptions before Auburn’s final drive of the game.
In sum, Auburn’s offense only generated 275 total yards against Ole Miss. That marked the fourth time in five games against power-conference competition that War Eagle was held to fewer than 300 yards. The win marked the first time Ole Miss had beaten Auburn in back-to-back seasons since 1951 and 1952. Previously, Ole Miss had also been winless in Jordan-Hare Stadium since 2015.
Mississippi State at Auburn SBG Free Picks
Auburn has the better roster and personnel in this matchup. To conclude, the Tigers will offer more College Football Betting value.
Mississippi State at Auburn SBG Best Bet: Auburn Tigers.