Auburn vs. Oregon fearless prediction and game preview.
Auburn vs. Oregon Broadcast
Date: Saturday, August 31
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Network: ABC
– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions
Auburn (0-0) vs. Oregon (0-0) Game Preview
It’s a rematch of the 2010 BCS Championship – a 22-19 win by Cam Newton and the Tigers – but things are far different now. Both programs have been good, but this is a chance to get back to being great.
The Pac-12 really, really, really, really, really needs this.
There’s a perception problem that the league can’t win the big non-conference games, partly because the league can’t win the big non-conference games.
Last year, it was Washington who was supposed to be the big dog in the Pac-12 when it started out the season against Auburn. The Huskies ended up winning the conference championship and went off to the Rose Bowl, but they lost the opener against what turned out to be a mediocre Tiger team.
If this Oregon team isn’t the best in the Pac-12, it’s one of the contenders for the title. The program has everything in place to come up with a special season, but this needs to be the launching point. With Nevada and Montana up next, a will would likely mean a huge start before going to Stanford.
Things ease up for Auburn with Tulane and Kent State up next before starting the SEC schedule at Texas A&M.
Why Auburn Will Win
It might just be this simple. Derrick Brown on the inside, and Marlon Davidson, Nick Coe and Big Kat Bryant on the outside form the foundation of one of the nation’s best defensive fronts with the potential to shut down the Oregon offense to a dead stop.
The Duck offensive line is loaded with talent and experience coming off a great season, but it’s about to deal with a whole other animal against the Tiger front four.
The Auburn defense isn’t going to be as good as the Michigan State D of last year, but in the Redbox Bowl, Oregon was only able to generate 37 rushing yards and do nothing down the field with the passing game in the 7-6 win. The Spartans seemed to live behind the line, and the Ducks couldn’t do anything on third down conversions, hitting on just 2-of-14 chances.
On the other side, the Oregon secondary is a wee bit of a question mark and can get hit for big yards, but …
Why Oregon Will Win
Oregon is starting a first round draft pick talent at quarterback, and Auburn is starting over.
Justin Herbert is an elite talent with the experience and tools to handle the pressure of the big moment, while Auburn is trying to figure out if Joey Gatewood or Bo Nix can be ready to handle a veteran defense that’s going to bring the pressure from the start.
The Auburn offensive line is going to be better and stronger than it was last season, but the team still has to prove it can run the ball consistently after a down year, and it still has to show it can keep up in a shootout with a team this good.
And then there’s handling the Auburn defensive front four – the Oregon line really is equipped to be okay. All five starters are back with four All-Pac-12 performers in place who know what they’re doing. They might not be able to blast away against the Tigers, but they should be able to hold their own.
What’s Going To Happen
The pressure is all on the Oregon side.
The pressure is always on Auburn and head coach Gus Malzahn, but Oregon has more experience, more talent among the starting 24, and more expectations to be every bit as good as the hype and the personnel.
But it’s the SEC vs. the Pac-12 in a big game. It’s only the sixth game between the two big conferences over the last three seasons, with the SEC going 5-1. The one loss came in the Texas A&M collapse to Josh Rosen two seasons ago, but to be fair, Alabama took care of two of those wins, and …
It’s the SEC vs. the Pac-12 in a big game.
The Auburn D will come through when absolutely needed with the big third down stops to hang on late.
Auburn vs. Oregon Prediction, Line
Auburn 24, Oregon 20
Line: Auburn -3, o/u: 57
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5
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Must See Rating: 4
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NEXT: Each Team’s Schedule, Predictions So Far
Each Team’s Schedule, Predictions So Far
2019 Oregon Football Schedule
2019 Preseason Prediction: 9-3
2019 Preseason Pac-12 Prediction: 7-2
2018 Record: 9-4
– 2019 Oregon Preview
Aug. 31 Auburn (in Arlington) L
Sept. 7 Nevada W
Sept. 14 Montana W
Sept. 21 at Stanford W
Sept. 28 OPEN DATE
Oct. 5 California W
Oct. 11 Colorado W
Oct. 19 at Washington L
Oct. 26 Washington State W
Nov. 2 at USC L
Nov. 9 OPEN DATE
Nov. 16 Arizona W
Nov. 23 at Arizona State W
Nov. 30 Oregon State W
2019 Auburn Football Schedule
2019 Preseason Prediction: 8-4
2019 Preseason SEC Prediction: 4-4
2018 Record: 8-5
– 2019 Auburn Preview
Aug. 31 Oregon (in Dallas) W
Sept. 7 Tulane W
Sept. 14 Kent State W
Sept. 21 at Texas A&M L
Sept. 28 Mississippi State W
Oct. 5 at Florida L
Oct. 12 OPEN DATE
Oct. 19 at Arkansas W
Oct. 26 at LSU L
Nov. 2 Ole Miss W
Nov. 9 OPEN DATE
Nov. 16 Georgia W
Nov. 23 Samford W
Nov. 30 Alabama L
