Both the Oklahoma Sooners and Auburn Tigers are coming off embarrassing losses that left them with questions under center. Who will right the ship in Week 5?
Check out the latest betting odds, spread analysis, and our final prediction for Oklahoma vs. Auburn ahead of Saturday’s new vs. old SEC battle.
Oklahoma vs. Auburn Betting Preview
All Oklahoma vs. Auburn odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Monday, Sept. 23.
- Spread
Oklahoma -1.5 - Moneyline
Oklahoma -125, Auburn +105 - Over/Under
46 points - Game Time
3:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Sept. 28 - Location
Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Ala. - Predicted Weather at Kick
81 degrees, seven mph winds, partly cloudy - How To Watch
ABC/ESPN+
Oklahoma opened as four-point favorites but has seen the spread drop three points amid a QB controversy.
MORE: CFN Betting Parlay Calculator
It also helps that Auburn is 4-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last five games vs. SEC teams. Meanwhile, the Sooners are 2-5 ATS in their last seven on the road.
In terms of the total, the over has hit in nine of the Tigers’ last 11 contests as an underdog …
Prediction for Oklahoma vs. Auburn
This is one of the most difficult games to predict in Week 5 because we simply don’t know who the Sooners are yet — and they may not know either. They throttled Temple to open the year (51-3), narrowly defeated a lousy Houston team (16-12), took care of business versus Tulane (34-19), and then fell apart at the seams against Tennessee at home last week (25-15).
The defense has been the only consistent part of the team, and that simply won’t work for DFS.
Sophomore QB Jackson Arnold was supposed to be the savior but has thrown a pick in three straight games, culminating in his benching. He went 7-of-16 for 54 yards, zero TDs, one INT, and a lost fumble against Tennessee before head coach Brent Venables saw enough.
True freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. was thrust into the game and actually played well, connecting on 11 of 18 attempts for 132 yards and one TD, earning an extended look as the starter in Week 5’s clash with Auburn.
Arnold is tied for the rushing lead (138 yards) with junior RB Jovantae Barnes, who hasn’t surpassed more than 53 yards in a game this year and only has one score. Suffice it to say, the ground game is bare for DFS.
The only “safe” option on the Sooners is WR Deion Burks, who is pacing the rest of the program in every receiving category: 26 receptions, 201 yards, and three TDs.
Oklahoma isn’t the squad with QB problems in this game — although Auburn’s issues are much more serious than that.
Payton Thorne was benched after throwing four picks in Week 2, only to be thrust back in last week when Hank Brown tossed three of his own in the first half. If Auburn can field a QB that doesn’t turn the ball over, they could compete in the SEC, but until then, the offense will remain stuck in neutral.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
That said, DFS-wise, WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith has been able to take the top off defenses consistently (28.2 yards per catch) — though that will admittedly be much more difficult against OU’s secondary. The real play is RB Jarquez Hunter, who has racked up 340 yards and two TDs on just 48 carries. Yes, that’s 7.1 yards per carry.
However, prediction-wise, I expect Oklahoma to rebound against a floundering Auburn team, winning straight up and covering the measly 1.5-point spread with relative ease. But I’d stay away from the total due to the QB issues on both sidelines.
Prediction: Oklahoma 24, Auburn 18
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.