In an intriguing matchup, Houston and Auburn will square off Tuesday in the 2021 Birmingham Bowl. Here’s a breakdown of the odds, as well as a prediction.
The college football bowl season is revving up again this week, even though multiple bowl games have been canceled and more could follow.
We don’t know when that will happen or if, so hopefully, the rest of the bowl games are played including the 2021 Birmingham Bowl between Auburn and Houston.
The Cougars have put together their best season in years and went 11-2 following a loss in the American Championship Game to Cincinnati.
Auburn, on the other hand, comes into the 2021 Birmingham Bowl with a 6-6 record following an overtime loss to Alabama in the Iron Bowl. First-year head coach Bryan Harsin could use a win, which would also clinch a winning season for the Tigers.
A record of 6-7 isn’t going to appeal to Auburn fans. However, beating the 20th-ranked team in the country in Houston would be a strong way to end the season, so we’ll break it down starting with the odds.
Odds for 2021 Birmingham Bowl
Despite not being ranked and having the worse record, Auburn is actually listed as a 1.5-point favorite according to WynnBet’s odds for the 2021 Birmingham Bowl. The over/under is 51.5 points and the money line is -125 for Auburn and +105 for Houston.
Prediction for 2021 Birmingham Bowl
Houston is better than most people give them credit for being. One reason is that the Cougars are just one of a handful of teams to rank in the top 15 in scoring offense and scoring defense. Houston allowed fewer than 300 yards per game defensively but that defense will be weakened somewhat by the opt-out of Marcus Jones.
Jones is a standout defensive back/returner for Houston, so not having him will hurt the Cougars. Yet, quarterback Clayton Tune has been highly productive this season with more than 3,000 yards passing and 28 touchdowns. He’s also got a talented crew of wide receivers led by Nathaniel Dell.
Houston has a solid running game but is a little more pass-oriented. Auburn, on the other hand, wants to run the football with Tank Bigsby, who went over 1,000 on the ground.
Houston will have to adjust to the speed and size of the Tigers. Auburn quarterback T.J. Finley will have to play well (protect the ball) and do so against one of the best third-down defenses in the country.
However, Auburn will be motivated to end the season in a positive way and with the game taking place in the state of Alabama, home-field advantage, as well as a stellar game by Bigsby will tilt this one to the Tigers 24-21.
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