The No. 21 Houston Cougars are coming off their second loss of the year and they’ll look to bounce back as they travel to Birmingham, Ala., for the 2021 Birmingham Bowl on Tuesday. The Cougars will battle Auburn at Protective Stadium in hopes of securing the program’s second-ever win against the Tigers. Houston’s dynamic passing attack will pose a threat, though Auburn counters with a lot of talent in its backfield.
Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Tigers as 1.5-point favorites in the latest Houston vs. Auburn odds, down 1.5 points from the opening line. The over-under for total points is set at 50.5. Before locking in any Auburn vs. Houston picks or Birmingham Bowl 2021 predictions, be sure to check out the betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,600 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters the third week of the 2021-22 college football bowl season on a 43-30 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Auburn vs. Houston and locked in its Birmingham Bowl 2021 picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college football odds and betting trends for Houston vs. Auburn:
- Houston vs. Auburn spread: Tigers -1.5
- Houston vs. Auburn over-under: 50.5 points
- Houston vs. Auburn money line: Tigers -120, Cougars +100
- HOU: The over has hit in seven of Houston’s last 10 games
- AUB: The Tigers are 1-4 ATS in their previous five games
Featured Game | Auburn Tigers vs. Houston Cougars
Why Houston can cover
Few teams enjoyed more overall success than Houston in 2021. The Cougars went on an 11-game winning streak after losing their season opener to Texas Tech. While they lost to Cincinnati in their regular-season finale, they’re a respectable 7-5 ATS. Auburn has lost its last four games outright.
Clayton Tune and Nathaniel Dell power the Cougars’ potent offense. They average 37.3 points per contest, their star wideout is among the most reliable targets in the country. Dell ranks fifth in the nation in receiving touchdowns (28) and has caught 80 passes for 1,179 yards. He torched Cincinnati’s fourth-ranked scoring defense in his last outing and could be essential to securing the Cougars their 12th win. Auburn’s defense has been very impressive at times, but the Tigers don’t excel on the ground or through the air on offense.
Why Auburn can cover
Houston was dominant straight up in 2021, but hasn’t had the best run ATS over the last two weeks. The Cougars have failed to cover in back-to-back road games and will play in a venue that will likely favor Auburn heavily. Houston lost its last neutral-site game by 17. The Tigers have the tools to hand them another defeat.
Auburn doesn’t have a great passing attack but can depend on a sturdy ground game. Tank Bigsby has racked up 1,003 rushing yards and 11 scores in 2021. His ability to move the chains on the ground will be essential, and three of his team’s wins have come in games where he’s crossed the century mark. Cincinnati’s Jerome Ford torched Houston for 187 yards and two scores on the ground in early December. Auburn can cover if its defense can come close to matching the performance that held Alabama to 24 points.
How to make Houston vs. Auburn picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 54 points. It also says one side of the spread hits over 60 percent of the time. You can only get the model’s Auburn vs. Houston picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Auburn vs. Houston in the Birmingham Bowl 2021? And which side of the spread hits over 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to back, all from the proven model that is up almost $3,600 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
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