Two losses in their last three games aren’t enough to deter the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who reached the 10-win mark for the first time since 2003 and for just the second time in more than a century. To get that 11th victory the Gophers have to overcome the Auburn Tigers in the Outback Bowl in the first-ever meeting between the schools. The Tigers lost more games during the regular season but are a 7-point favorite on the current college football odds. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 1, 2020, from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. ESPN will supply live coverage.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Minnesota Golden Gophers +7
Auburn Tigers -7
Over/Under 53
Minnesota vs. Auburn Odds Analysis
The SEC affiliation and Minnesota’s general lack of overall success had Auburn opening as an 8-point favorite. Early bettors bought the points moving the line down to Auburn -7. This is the first time this season Minnesota is getting at least 7-points in a game. The Gophers are 2-2 SU and ATS when playing as an underdog. The over is getting plenty of action forcing the total to spike two points to 53 after hitting the board at 51.
Minnesota Odds
Can a season be both a success and a failure? To avoid the latter and secure the former, the Gophers need to beat another ranked opponent. After starting the season with nine straight wins and going 6-2-1 ATS, including a win over No. 4 Penn State, the Gophers dropped two of their final three games watching their CFP hopes and Big Ten Championship aspirations dashed. The setbacks were administered by No. 20 Iowa and No. 12 Wisconsin with Minnesota failing to cover in both. The Gophers still finished the season as a solid bet going 8-4 ATS.
The Gophers flashed a balanced offensive attack that allowed them to average 34.3 points per game and cash the over in five of their last six outings. Tanner Morgan had a splendid campaign as a first time starter to lead Minnesota’s 50th ranked offense. He completed over 66 percent of his passes for nearly 3,000 yards with 28 touchdowns. Rodney Smith rushed for 1,094 yards, and Shannon Brooks and Mohamed Ibrahim both topped 400 yards for the 47th ranked ground game.
Auburn Odds
The Tigers might just be the best three-loss team in the country. Those defeats came against Georgia, LSU and Florida – teams that finished ranked among the top-nine in the AP poll – by a combined total of 21 points. They also knocked off three teams ranked among the top-20 at the time of the game, including a season-ending 48-45 decision over Alabama. The Tigers won as a 5-point dog closing the regular season with two straight covers. They finished the year as one of the most profitable teams on the betting line with a 9-3 ATS record and won at least nine games SU for the fourth time in Gus Malzahn’s seven years.
When playing as a favorite this season the Tigers went 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS. They’re hoping that success translates to the postseason. Auburn has never missed a bowl game under Malzahn, however they are just 2-4 SU and ATS in their last six postseason games. The Tigers boast one of the top defenses in the country despite giving up 45 points and over 500 yards to Alabama. They held LSU to its lowest point total and ranked 13th in points allowed per game. Their speed is something the Gophers are probably not familiar with.
Key Trends
The teams enter their first meeting on different wave lengths. Auburn is riding a wave of emotion after taking down Alabama in the Iron Bowl and hanging 48 points on them to boot. The Tigers got greased up for the showdown with a 52-0 rout of Samford a week earlier. Meanwhile, Minnesota is hoping to avoid a disappointing finish to what’s been a marvelous campaign. The Gophers ended the season losing two of three after a 9-0 start. Their undefeated season ended with a loss at Iowa and the division title was lost in a winner-take-all bout with Wisconsin two weeks later.
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