by Chuck Sommers
Tuesday, Sep 21, 2021
Game time: 4 p.m. ET, Sept. 25, 2021
Venue: Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL
Where to watch: SEC Network
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Auburn -27; O/U 57; Auburn -3800, Georgia State +1600
BetMGM: Auburn -27.5; O/U 56.5; Auburn -5000, Georgia State +1400
Caesars: Auburn -27; O/U 57; Auburn -7000, Georgia State +1600
Season record
Georgia State: 1-2
No. 23 Auburn: 2-1
Team Del Genio was a PERFECT 4-0 in all-sports on Saturday to further a 9 of 11 (82%) HOT STREAK this week, WINNING their 25* NCAA-F Pac-12 Game of the Month with USC and their 25* NCAA-F Saturday TV Total of the Month with the ASU/BYU under! Catch Del Genio’s and other plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Georgia State - Auburn preview and analysis
Recent form
Georgia State: won 20-9 vs. Charlotte on Sept. 18
Auburn: lost 28-20 at No. 6 Penn State on Sept. 18
Not many teams can go into a White Out in Beaver Stadium and say a one-score loss is a solid victory.
But we can say that for the Auburn Tigers after a 28-20 loss to the now No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday. The Tigers, now No. 23 in the country, kept things close with Penn State before ultimately falling to the Big Ten foe.
Auburn returns home this week for a matchup against the Georgia State Panthers in what will close the college football slate in September.
The offense did not come for Auburn last Saturday night. Quarterback Bo Nix had only 185 yards on 37 attempts, leaving running back Tank Bigsby alone to amass 102 yards and two touchdowns. Despite Bigsby and Jarquez Hunter combining for 165 yards on the ground, Auburn trailed 21-20 in the fourth quarter before Penn State responded with a nine-play, 75-yard drive for the final touchdown.
Auburn couldn’t muster enough offense after that and failed to cover as four-point underdogs. Leading receiver Kobe Hudson had four receptions for a team-high 66 yards, and John Samuel Shenker had five catches for 62 yards. No other Auburn receiver had more than 30 yards.
It was a humbling night for the Auburn offense after scoring 60 and 62 points respectively the following two weeks. It’s widely expected they’ll get back to the high-scoring efforts on Saturday against a Georgia State team that had its first win of the season last week.
Darren Grainger threw two touchdowns in the start as the quarterback led the Panthers to an 11-point victory against the Charlotte 49ers. Grainger got the start over Cornelius Brown IV, who has struggled to start the season (52.2 percent completion, two interceptions). Though Grainger wasn’t any better, his work through the air was just enough to complement the 284 rushing yards GSU produced.
Georgia State has scored a combined 47 points through three games and against more potent offenses Army and North Carolina, has struggled defensively. It’s fair to expect a return to form on both sides; a better Auburn offense and a struggling Charlotte defense.
Prediction
Auburn’s offense has totaled 506 YPG while the defense has allowed only 42.3 yards on the ground. The Tigers are going to force GSU to revert to a passing game, but that may not even work. Be prepared to turn the TV channel to ESPN should things get out of hand as expected. Auburn by 31
Betting trends
Georgia State is 11-2 against the spread when the total is set between 56.5 and 63 in its last 13 games.
Auburn is 6-0 ATS at home in its last six September games.
Players to watch
Georgia State: If the Panthers can’t run the ball, targets will go to leading receiver Jamari Thrash. He had only two catches last week, but they went for 62 yards and a touchdown in the win over Charlotte.
Auburn: Look for a big game from Shedrick Jackson. The wide receiver has only nine catches on the season, but was held to two catches and six yards against Penn State. Look for him to have a better outing.
Statistical leaders
Georgia State:
Passing: Cornelious Brown IV -- 197 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Destin Coates -- 141 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Jamari Thrash -- 167 yards, 1 TD
Defense: Blake Carroll -- 2.5 sacks
Auburn:
Passing: Bo Nix -- 568 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT
Rushing: Tank Bigsby -- 343 yards, 4 TD
Receiving: Kobe Hudson -- 121 yards, 1 TD
Defense: Roger McCreary -- 2 INT
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
