Mississippi St.-Auburn, Ole Miss-Texas A&M Highlight Vegas SEC Predictions Week 7
Saturday Blitz Vegas SEC Predictions Week 7
Game of the Week
No. 2 Auburn Tigers at No. 3 Mississippi State Bulldogs
Line: Auburn by 3
Who saw this as the game of this week at the beginning of the year? Mississippi State opened the year unranked, and Auburn opened the year outside of the Top 5 despite being the defending SEC Champions because everybody thought they were a fluke last year. Now, these are the two highest-ranked teams in the SEC, with Mississippi State tying Ole Miss. So here we are, and as we give you our prediction for this game, no that we have no idea where to go with this one.
Remember when Auburn played for the national championship last year and came 30 seconds away from winning it? The way they are talked about, it’s okay if you forget. Despite doing that and returning everybody, nobody respected them at the beginning of the year, and now they’re back in the Top 5. Nick Marshall has a better command of Gus Malzahn’s offense than even last year, and the defense is much better for the Tigers than it was last year. The rush defense for Auburn will be key in this game. Dan Mullen’s spread offense led by Dak Prescott is all about keeping you honest. If Auburn can manage to stop the run with DaVonte Lambert, Gabe Wright, Montravius Adams, and the pleasant surprise in Gimel President, they should be in much better shape. But if they can’t, this will be a long game for them.
Mississippi State, meanwhile, vaulted Prescott to the top of our Heisman rankings this past week with his great play against Texas A&M. But it was still against a very young and suspect Aggies rush defense, and a weak rush defense makes things easier on Mullen’s offense. Now, they face a very tough test in Auburn, who’s looking every bit like the defending SEC champions right now. If the offense can torch this defense, then Prescott is that much further ahead of everybody in his Heisman campaign. The Bulldogs defense will have serious problems against Auburn all day with Marshall and Cameron Artis-Payne, so you can expect points to come there. But to match it, their offense is going to have to look like it actually has a Heisman candidate at quarterback. Otherwise, this will fall into Auburn’s favor.
Prediction
Mississippi State will get its points, and so will Auburn. This game will once again be high-scoring, but more faith has to be put in Auburn’s defense than Mississippi State’s. That’s going to be the difference, and it’s why Auburn pulls this game out. Prescott will still be a Heisman candidate and likely be the best player on the field on Saturday, but Auburn is going to be by far the best team. Mississippi State is benefitting from lots of experience and momentum right now, but Auburn has just as great coaching as the Bulldogs and a lot better talent. That’s going to be why they pull out the victory in Starkville.
Auburn: 38 Mississippi State: 31