Week 10 (Auburn vs. Ole Miss) - Pundit Predictions

[RunInRed 16,360]

Charles Hollis

Auburn vs. Ole Miss

We know The Grove is crazy. We know Auburn is a 2 1/2-point underdog and last year's Cinderella story isn't looking good after the defense has given up over 1,000 yards in its last two games, a 38-23 loss at Mississippi State and a 42-35 win at home over South Carolina. If that's happening in the middle of the year, you can't help but wonder if the Tigers can fix the problem in time for Ole Miss, which can be pretty explosive if Rebels quarterback Bo Wallace doesn't go all-LSU again.The Tigers' offense can hold its own, but Nick Marshall and Co. are playing a defense that feeds off its "Landsharks" nickname at home. The Rebels lead the country in defense, giving up just 10.5 points a game, a decrease of nearly two touchdowns from the 23.7 a year ago when Auburn defeated the Rebels 30-22. They're also the nation's only team yet to give up more than 20 points, while the Tigers are one of four teams to score at least 20 in every game since 2013. Since the Malzahn era began, Auburn has averaged 39 points a game. Can Wallace and Ole Miss shake the LSU loss? That could be the edge the Tigers need if they haven't.

Auburn 23, Ole Miss 20

http://www.al.com/sp...big_one_ol.html

http://espn.go.com/b...-10-predictions

What to watch for:

Now that the first College Football Playoff rankings are out, the big intrigue from here on out is how much those rankings change from week to week. They're guaranteed to have some major movement thanks to this pairing of teams that would be in the semifinals if played this weekend.

Auburn (6-1, 3-1 SEC) is the highest-ranked one-loss team in the country, getting credit both for its win at fellow one-loss Kansas State and that its defeat came on the road to No. 1 Mississippi State. The Tigers aren't as explosive or flashy on offense as they were in reaching the BCS title game last season, but they haven't needed to be thanks to a vastly improved defense.

Quarterback Nick Marshall remains the key to Auburn's team, though, and so far he hasn't put up the passing numbers that were expected. The Tigers have only thrown 173 times in seven games, which ranks 117th nationally, but that also means they're less likely to test an Ole Miss defense that has 17 interceptions and brought three of them back for touchdowns.

Ole Miss (7-1, 4-1) has been massively impressive on defense, as its "Landsharks" unit ranks fourth nationally by allowing 4.35 yards per play. But as we saw last week in the loss at LSU, the Rebels can be run on if persistent enough, and playing from behind isn't their strength because of an offense that lacks the ability to score and gain yards in bunches.

Bo Wallace has thrown 18 touchdown passes with seven interceptions, but his pick late against LSU was an example of how things can go wrong when the senior tries to do too much. Still, he told reporters the Rebels need to be more aggressive from here on out to avoid putting themselves behind the eight ball, via Hugh Kellenberger of The Clarion-Ledger.

"We have to get back to throwing the ball on first and second downs and making plays like we did earlier in the season," Wallace said.

Despite losing last week, Ole Miss sits in the playoffs as of now because the committee valued its win over Alabama. It can't afford another loss right away, but unless it can force early mistakes by Auburn (which contributed to the Tigers' loss at Mississippi State), this one will get away from the Rebels and they'll fall out of playoff contention.

Prediction: Auburn 24, Ole Miss 20

http://bleacherrepor...ry-game/page/38

Brad: Could the Rebels lose back-to-back games? This one has major College Football Playoff implications, a matchup involving a pair of SEC West contenders ranked in the top four of the initial rankings. Auburn’s already struggled once this season against a solid defense (win at Kansas State) and that’ll happen against Saturday night in Oxford. This time, the Tigers won’t be so lucky. Ole Miss 23, Auburn 20

Christopher: I think the Rebels are a better team than the Tigers. Kansas State prioritized run defense against Auburn, and if not for a handful of botched red zone plays, KSU would’ve won that game. The Ole Miss defense gave up just 10 points to LSU despite being under constant stress Saturday. Unless Nick Marshall can get the ball to his talented receivers downfield against what has to be the nation’s best secondary, I don’t see Auburn putting up a ton of points. Ole Miss 17, Auburn 10.

http://www.saturdayd...10-predictions/

Mandel: It’s time to once again break out Bruce’s Body Blow Theory.Ole Miss’ defense, while spectacular to this point in allowing a national-best 10.5 points per game, took a pounding in last week’s 10-7 loss to LSU. The Tigers ran the ball 55 times. Now Ole Miss has to turn around and play another physical, run-first offense, only this one with a quarterback, Nick Marshall, who can stretch the field as well. This is the week the Rebels’ dam breaks. Auburn 27, Ole Miss 20.

Feldman: The Rebels come back home after playing in a very physical game at LSU and now they have to deal with another punishing team with a more potent -- and more vexing -- attack. And the Rebels are without play-making LB Denzel Nkemdiche, who is out for the season now with an ankle injury. Bo Wallace also is coming off a dreadful game, and I'm not sold that he can have a big bounce-back here. Auburn 20, Ole Miss 14.

http://www.foxsports...ole-miss-103014

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/features/writers/expert/picks

[auburn4ever 1,266]

AUBURN 28

Ole Miss 17

[augolf1716 21,096]

AUBURN 28

Ole Miss 17

Wrong thread :-\ but nice pick a4e

[AUbritt 611]

AUBURN 28

Ole Miss 17

Wrong thread :-\ but nice pick a4e

I thought a4e was a pundit?

[SCBusPilot 72]

Looks like the CBS guys have been into ole Verne's snake oil....

[auburntiger1987 759]

Solomon has gotten the most correct straight up.. i dont feel bad when the others dont pick us

[cooltigger21 0]

I'm not surprised at Palm. I'd be shocked if he did pick us. He never has liked Auburn so why change now.

[OnthePlains 2,014]

I know everyone does it, I have done it too but when are we all gonna learn that a team's performance(Auburn vs. KSU) against another team earlier in the year has no bearing on how they will play on any given day. Auburn might very well struggle running the ball against OM but they might also run for 300 yards and neither will have anything to do with how they did against a completely different team weeks ago.

[doc4aday 1,887]

Auburn 41

UM17

Our defense will play lights out, and will show the world that we are the best!

[Maverick.AU 13,279]

CGM's teams play their best ball in November, dating back to arkansas st. I believe there was an article written on it a couple weeks ago as well.

My biggest concern is how our will defense stack up against Treadwell and Evan Engram. Do they use Engram in the slot the way SC used Pharaoh Cooper last week? The offense will be fine IMO

[AUbritt 611]

Clean sweep of the Gameday crew -- all picked Auburn.

Herbie says if Auburn runs the table, they should do away with the Playoff and just give us the new trophy.

[war eagle6 0]

Clean sweep of the Gameday crew -- all picked Auburn.

Herbie says if Auburn runs the table, they should do away with the Playoff and just give us the new trophy.

Would have been clean sweep on sec network also but guess who picked against us? Lol, but I agree with Kirk as well

[AUbritt 611]

Clean sweep of the Gameday crew -- all picked Auburn.

Herbie says if Auburn runs the table, they should do away with the Playoff and just give us the new trophy.

Would have been clean sweep on sec network also but guess who picked against us? Lol, but I agree with Kirk as well

Yep -- Finebum with the 'Hotty Toddy' was pretty unexpected. Not.

[war eagle6 0]

Clean sweep of the Gameday crew -- all picked Auburn.

Herbie says if Auburn runs the table, they should do away with the Playoff and just give us the new trophy.

Would have been clean sweep on sec network also but guess who picked against us? Lol, but I agree with Kirk as well

Yep -- Finebum with the 'Hotty Toddy' was pretty unexpected. Not.

He is so far up Nick sabans rectum that not only do he needs a flashlight but wiper blades as well. Would love for AU to turn the corner,starting with ole miss, and make a statement to Paul and the bammers: We Commin!!

[GBAU83 212]

Surprised Finebaum wouldn't be for AU in this game as Bama needs Ole Miss to take a second loss because they are still behind them in the head to head.

[au75 75]

WE ARE COMIN

[Mikey 16,550]

Fartbomb and some of the national guys operate on the idea "Pick against Auburn every week and sooner or later you'll be correct". That's the same gutless approach that they used in '10 and '13.