WKU Hilltoppers (7-4) vs. Auburn Tigers (4-6)
November 19, 2022 4:00 pm EDT
The Line: Auburn Tigers -7 / WKU Hilltoppers +7; Over/Under: 52
(Get latest betting odds)
The Auburn Tigers and WKU Hilltoppers meet Saturday in week 12 college football action from Jordan-Hare. Western Kentucky is fresh off a game versus Rice. In that one, the Hilltoppers notched a blowout win. As for Auburn, they played Texas A&M in their last outing. The Tigers would end up winning in a close outcome. Check back all season long for free college football picks at Sports Chat Place.
Western Kentucky won three of their first four games this year over Austin Peay, Hawaii and FIU. After losses to Troy and UTSA, the Hilltoppers beat Middle Tennessee and UAB. The next two games were a loss to North Texas and a win over Charlotte.
In the Rice game, WKU held a 24-7 lead at the break. The Hilltoppers ended up scoring in every quarter during a 45-10 win. Austin Reed led the way on 377 yards and three scores. Markese Stepp rushed eight times for 64 yards.
Over on the Auburn side, they went 3-1 in their first four as well with wins over Mercer, San Jose State and Missouri. The Tigers hit a losing streak after that, falling to LSU, Georgia, Ole Miss, Arkansas and Mississippi State.
Matched up against Texas A&M, Auburn went into the fourth quarter with a 10-0 lead. The Tigers had to hang on from there in a 13-10 win. QB Robby Ashford posted 60 yards with one TD and one pick, but Cartavious Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter did most of the work with a combined 242 rush yards.
The Hilltoppers are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games in November and 19-7-1 in their last 27 road games. WKU is 9-3 ATS in their last 12 after an ATS win.
Meanwhile, the Tigers are 3-7 ATS versus a team with a winning record and 2-6 ATS in the last eight at home. Auburn is 1-4 ATS in their last five versus CUSA.
PICK: I’m going to take a stab on Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers had their way with a decent Rice team in their last outing, posting 495 total yards (118 rushing), 9.0 yards per play, 21 first downs and a nice 8-of-11 rate on third-down tries. The defense also did well, coming up with four turnovers.
As for Auburn, they played a closer game than they would have liked versus Texas A&M but still got the win. It wasn’t pretty, though; Auburn had just 60 pass yards and three turnovers. I like Western Kentucky to give them a game and hang in for the cover.
