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Texas A&M Aggies at Auburn Tigers Betting Preview

The No. 5 Texas A&M Aggies (6-1) try to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive as they hit the road this weekend to take on the Auburn Tigers (5-3). The Aggies are listed as 6.5-point favorites on the road with an over/under of 48.5 points.

An SEC West title is out of reach for Auburn after last week’s lopsided loss to Alabama. However, the Tigers had won three straight games and appeared to hit their stride before the Iron Bowl. Gus Malzahn will now try to rally his team for the final two weeks of the season, with the Tigers needing one more win to secure a winning campaign in 2020.

As for the Aggies, they’ve rattled off five straight wins since an early-season loss to Alabama. Granted, Texas A&M has had two postponed games during that stretch, but they’ve still managed to keep themselves in contention for a CFP spot. If the Aggies win their final two games and finish 8-1, they could sneak into the Top 4 if they get some favorable results elsewhere.

Shaking Off the Rust

After back-to-back games were postponed, the Texas A&M offense looked more than a little rusty last week against LSU. A 52-yard touchdown run by Isaiah Spiller and two field goals were all the Aggies mustered offensively. Thankfully, a defensive score and an equally-inefficient LSU offense saw the A&M walk away with a 20-7 win.

In fairness, the weather wasn’t exactly conducive to scoring a lot of points. However, that doesn’t completely forgive Kellen Mond for having the worst game of his career. Mond, who has been otherwise excellent this year, completed just 11 of 34 passes for 105 yards. He’ll need to bounce back quickly to salvage a winning record and boost his stock for the 2021 NFL Draft.

That could be easier said than done against the Auburn defense. Before running into Alabama last week, the Tigers had given up 19 points per game during their three-game winning streak. At times, the Auburn defense has bent a little during the season, and they bent to the breaking point against Alabama. The Tigers have the talent to give the Aggies trouble if Mond isn’t at the top of his game.

Bo Time

Before the loss to Alabama, Auburn quarterback Bo Nix appeared to be taking a meaningful step forward in his development. Nix was dreadful early in the year, but he looked sharp in late October and into November. One could almost say that he’s developing into a pocket passer who happens to be a good athlete who’s capable of making plays with his legs. One poor game against the vaunted Alabama defense shouldn’t change that.

The X-factor for the Tigers is running back Tank Bigsby. The freshman wasn’t fully healthy against Alabama, but if he can give the Auburn offense a lift, it’ll be of great help to Nix. Bigsby averages 5.5 yards per carry, with five touchdowns this season.

Of course, the A&M defense is no pushover. The Aggies have given up 14 points or fewer in four of their seven games. Last week, they scored a defensive touchdown and were 38 seconds away from shutting out LSU. Against teams that can’t run the ball effectively, the A&M defense can cause serious trouble.

Tiger Attack

Outside of playing Alabama, this will be the most challenging road game the Aggies have all year. The Tigers have enough talent on both sides of the ball to give Texas A&M trouble, especially if Nix bounces back.

Keep in mind Auburn’s receiving corps is one of the best in the SEC. Even if the Aggies survive, bet on Auburn to keep it close and beat the spread.

FREE PICK: Auburn Tigers (+6.5).

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