The ACC made some huge strides last season knocking off the SEC time after time in their annual meetings at the end of the year. Now, we have another case where an ACC team is getting little respect against one of the members of the seemingly more talented SEC.
The Louisville Cardinals though, are no joke whatsoever heading into their opening game against the Auburn Tigers.
WHEN THE AUBURN TIGERS HAVE THE BALL
Auburn is breaking in a new quarterback in Jeremy Johnson. Johnson has a legit NFL arm, and though he isn't nearly as mobile as the departed Nick Marshall, there is no doubt that he can run a Gus Malzahn offense. Malzahn is still one of the most talented coaches and evaluators in college football, and he'll adapt to Johnson's gifted skill set for sure.
Still, it's worth noting that Auburn only has six returning starters on the offensive side of the ball, and there could be a few growing pains. Malzahn could be the equalizer here, but we're just not sure about the running back spot. Roc Thomas and Jovon Robinson could prove to be the real deal, and if they are, you can feel safe betting on Auburn in live betting. If those backs are failing to pick out holes and are leaving Johnson there in the pocket to move this Auburn offense by himself through the air, there are going to be a lot of failed drives.
Louisville's defense is sneakily good in spite of its late-season meltdown a year ago. The Cards have great defensive ends in Sheldon Ranks and Pio Vatuvei, and both could be threats in this game off of the edge. If Auburn's backs can't get outside, Malzahn is going to have to adjust on the fly, something that we aren't so sure he can do with such an inexperienced group.
WHEN THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS HAVE THE BALL
The Cardinals still have a mess at quarterback on their hands. Many figure that it is going to be Reggie Bonnafon under center come Saturday afternoon, but Bobby Petrino won't announce his decision before the game. Kyle Bolin, Will Gardner and Tyler Ferguson are all also candidates.
With Bonnafon though, the offense will be a lot more wide open for Louisville. He can run around like a chicken with his head cut off and make big plays happen, and he'll be able to do so against this sometimes hyper-aggressive defense.
The Cardinals though, aren't putting up 30 against good teams this season. They're going to have to win games with their defense due to the fact that their offense is still quite inexperienced.
The key here while Louisville has the ball though, is just how aggressive the Tigers are going to be now that they have their man back. It's the return of Coach Boom, Will Muschamp to Auburn, and he's back doing what he does best. The cupboard isn't empty for his defense, but he is going to have to figure out how to create more sacks and more turnovers after picking up a total of just 10 sacks in SEC play last season.
TREND TO TRACK
The almighty SEC definitely has some chinks in the armor here. Auburn, ever since losing the National Championship Game to Florida State, has been awful in none-conference games. They are 0-5 ATS in their last five non-conference games overall, and they haven't beaten a team from a power conference in quite some time. They're also just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games against ACC foes.
Considering the fact that the Tigers are giving double-digits in this one at a neutral site, there's reason to be concerned.
The college football betting lines and props for this clash were first available at BookMaker Sportsbook. The Auburn Tigers were laying 10.5-points, while the total first appeared at 56. Live wagering during commercials offers adjusted moneylines, totals and spreads. Log in and start gambling during the game now!
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The duel between the Auburn Tigers and Louisville Cardinals will go down Saturday, September 5, 2015 at 3:30 p.m. ET at the Georgia Dome. The game will be televised live on CBS.
