The SEC has five teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP Top 25, and Week 6 will produce the first showdown between two of those teams.
No. 7 Auburn (5-0) travels to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to face No. 10 Florida (5-0) in a classic SEC matchup between teams fighting to keep pace with No. 1 Alabama (5-0), No. 3 Georgia (4-0) and No. 5 LSU (4-0).
The Tigers continue to win around talented freshman quarterback Bo Nix, and the Gators have evolved with backup quarterback Kyle Trask. Those two quarterbacks will be in the spotlight along with an interesting coaching matchup between Gus Malzahn and Dan Mullen.
MORE: Get the latest college football odds at Sportsbook Review
Here's everything you need for Saturday's matchup between the Tigers and Gators:
Betting odds for Auburn vs. Florida
- Spread: Florida -3
- Point total: 47
- Moneyline: Florida -115, Auburn +103
Auburn is a three-point favorite according to odds at Sportsbook Review, and 63 percent of the wagering has come in favor of the Tigers.
Auburn vs. Florida all-time series
Auburn leads the all-time series 44-38-2. The teams haven't met since 2011, however, and are knotted at 3-3 in games where both are ranked in the top 10.
Three trends to know
— The Tigers are 9-5 against the spread as the road favorite under Malzahn. In ranked games, Auburn is 21-17 against the spread since 2013.
— Florida has been favored in every game this season and is 2-3 against the spread. The Gators are 1-0 against the spread as a home underdog under Mullen the last two seasons.
— In those six previous top-10 showdowns between the teams, the road team is 4-2.
WEEK 6 PICKS: Straight up | Against the spread
Three things to watch
Who gets off and running?
Florida (86.8) and Auburn (95.2) have been stout against the run this season, and it will be on both teams to try to get that started. Lamical Perine averages 3.6 yards per carry for the Gators and is a grind-it-out-back. JaTarvious Whitlow averages 5.0 yards per carry for the Tigers. He's the X-factor player on the ground for the Tigers. Auburn is the better bet to get the running game going.
Bo Nix's vs. Florida pressure
Nix completed 12 passes and had 12 rushing attempts in his last road start against Texas A&M, and that was enough to get the victory. He will need to do more in this game, and the growing comfort within Malzahn's offense is notable. The Gators, however, rank second in the FBS with 24 sacks. They will be coming after the freshman quarterback.
Turnovers
Florida has forced 13 turnovers on the season, and that pressure could create a few opportunities in The Swamp. Auburn has forced just five turnovers this season, but their defensive line has led a unit that allows fewer than six first downs on the ground this season. The Tigers can create the same effect by piling up three-and-outs.
WEEK 6 PROJECTIONS: Bowls | Playoff
Stat that matters
Trask owns a 77 percent completion percentage through the pinch-hit appearance against Kentucky and starts against Tennessee and Towson. If he hits close to that mark, then Florida will win this game. This is a different defense, however: one that limits opposing quarterbacks to a 54.9 completion percentage. Keep an eye on Trask's accuracy in this one.
Prediction
Nix might throw an interception and Auburn might struggle early while settling in against Florida's aggressive front. Still, the Tigers find their running game, and Nix makes a few jaw-dropping throws before halftime. Trask and Florida have trouble stringing drives together after halftime, and Auburn emerges from The Swamp with a signature victory.
Auburn 28, Florida 17
