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Auburn vs. Arkansas preview, odds, prediction, live stream

By Jeremy Morris

FAYETTEVILLE, AR - SEPTEMBER 15: Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Chad Morris leads his team out on the field before the North Texas Mean Green 44-17 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks on September 15, 2018, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Andy Altenburger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
FAYETTEVILLE, AR - SEPTEMBER 15: Arkansas Razorbacks head coach Chad Morris leads his team out on the field before the North Texas Mean Green 44-17 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks on September 15, 2018, at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Photo by Andy Altenburger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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After a heartbreaking loss to LSU a week ago, Auburn will look to bounce back Saturday night as they host the Arkansas Razorbacks at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Game preview, odds, prediction, how and where to watch on TV or streaming.

Auburn entered the season ranked No. 9 in the nation and quickly rose to No. 7 after an impressive win over No. 6 Washington in Week 1. They followed it with a 63-9 drubbing of Alabama State to move to 2-0 heading into SEC play.

Their first conference game featured a clash of 2-0 Tigers as Auburn hosted No. 12 LSU in a pivotal Week 3 matchup. They were favored to win by double-digits but LSU hung around and traded punches for four quarters then drilled a 42-yard field goal as time expired to come away with a 22-21 victory. Now at 2-1 and again ranked ninth, Gus Malzahn’s Auburn team need a major rebound in Week 4 as they host Arkansas.

The Razorbacks are 1-2 through three games under first-year head coach Chad Morris including back to back losses against Colorado State and North Texas. Arkansas fans spent the offseason singing the praises of the Morris Chorus but after a very rocky start in what was supposed to be the easy part of their schedule, it looks like Chad Morris’ first season of SEC play will be a long and bumpy ride.

No. 9 Auburn Tigers (2-1, 0-1 in SEC)

Auburn’s offense, led by junior quarterback Jarrett Stidham has been good but not great so far. They’re averaging 35 points a game which ranks 53rd of 130 NCAA teams. Auburn is probably the only team that’s had to face top-15 opponents in two of their first three games so realistically, that number is much more impressive than 53rd.

Defensively, the Tigers have given up only 15.7 points a game so far which ranks 24th of 130 teams, again a number that is even more impressive than it seems at this juncture in the season.

Arkansas Razorbacks (1-2, 0-0 in SEC)

Brett Bielema was 68-24 (.739) in seven seasons at Wisconsin then went 29-34 (.460) at Arkansas. He coached the same traditional, run-first, physical style at both stops. It works in the Big Ten. It did not work in the SEC.

Chad Morris, who came from SMU, was tapped as his replacement because of his distinctively different coaching style. The stark contrast was a key factor in helping him land the job but now that he actually has it, Morris has the ultimate catch-22 on his hands.

Installing such a fundamentally different up-tempo spread offense is a process in and of itself. Morris is also inheriting a roster of players who were recruited to play in Bielema’s system. It will take time to recruit and develop the players and personnel that will thrive in Morris’s schemes. Fortunately, Bielema didn’t leave the cupboard completely bare and Morris does have the kind of speed and athleticism that he can plug into his offense, especially on the outside.

Next: 10 Games That Would Make College Football Exponentially Better

It’s going to take time and there are going to be some growing pains, but Arkansas is making a good long-term decision for the program. One of the growing pains came in the form of a 44-17 loss to North Texas last week and another will come from the road trip to Auburn this weekend.

Arkansas’s defense, which has allowed almost 33 points a game to three non-Power five teams, is going to get lit like the fourth of July on Saturday. They probably won’t get shut out, but I wouldn’t expect them to spend a lot of time in the end zone outside of touch backs.

How to Watch Arkansas vs. Auburn

  • Date: Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018
  • Kickoff: 7:30 pm EST (6:30 pm Central)
  • Location: Auburn, Alabama
  • Stadium: Jordan-Hare Stadium
  • TV Info: SEC Network
  • Live Stream: SEC Network online

Odds and Betting Trends (via Oddsshark)

  • Point Spread – Arkansas vs. Auburn (-29.5)
  • Moneyline – Arkansas +1450 / Auburn -2750
  • Over/Under – 58 points
  • ATS Records – Arkansas: 0-2-1 / Auburn: 1-2
  • Over/Under Records – Arkansas: 0-2 / Auburn: 0-2

Prediction

If you’ve read everything up to this point, you can probably guess which way I’m leaning on this one. If you read the section directly above and saw the 30-point spread and can’t wait to bet this game, either way, you are a most likely a degenerate gambler. Don’t worry though. For one, it’s legal now, and secondly, it’s not really gambling if you win.

Pick: Auburn to cover -29.5, Under 58 points (Or instead of betting this game, just go ahead and Venmo me half of whatever you were going to wager so you save some money and anxiety and I get properly compensated for talking you down from this ridiculous bet).