Auburn vs. Clemson Predictions

by: Vernon Croy

The Auburn vs. Clemson match up on the third weekend of college football action in 2011 will pit two 2-0 squads against one another. It's also a rematch of two previous encounters between the schools which have gone to overtime. The defending BCS champions are back in the top 25 and are riding an emotional high after two hard fought, close victories, and are starting to gain some backers once again. Clemson meanwhile will look to try to survive its first match of the season against a tough school.

Yes, Clemson is 2-0 right now, but the two schools they have beaten have been Troy and Wofford. SEC competition it is not. And while Clemson scored the two wins they needed, they haven't looked invincible in the process. Gene Chizik and company from Auburn surely have seen plenty of holes they will be looking to exploit, and of course the Tigers have an entirely superior class of talent and athlete across the field than Clemson does.

Of course, Auburn, defending champions or not, have not been invincible either. They barely survived Utah State in their opener, and needed to hang on by a thread over Mississippi State last weekend. But Auburn has to be happy with the results. They are back in the top 25, and even though they lost so much talent from last season's championship squad, they are sitting at 2-0 with a chance to continue their winning ways.

As mentioned, both of the last two meetings between these schools have gone to overtime. Auburn has won them both, and is coming in with a much more impressive streak than that. They are 14-0 against Clemson since 1951, when they were shutout by Clemson 34-0, and while teams from the 1950s and 1960s don't have much bearing on the action of these two teams right now, it's something to think about regardless when a streak continues for such a long period of time.

The point spread for the game is a little bit surprising, at least depending on your perspective. Clemson, at home, is the 3 point favorite over the visiting Auburn Tigers. The over/under line has been set at a fairly lofty 60.5 points. Auburn has certainly appeared flawed so far this season, but they have won both games, and are once again in the top 25 of the polls. Clemson has struggled at times against much weaker opposition, and doesn't have the core of talent that Auburn does.

Therefore, expect Auburn to get a big road win. It's an upset according to the oddsmakers, but in reality, Auburn should be expected to win this match. Flawed as they are, they are a better team, and after two close wins, they are building some real momentum and belief in themselves as being able to pull out close contests, and ones in which they shouldn't win. Auburn will move to 3-0 and continue looming as a challenge to the more highly touted teams this season in the SEC.

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