2021 Iron Bowl Odds – Picks and Predictions for Alabama vs Auburn

• #3 Alabama is a 19.5-point road favorite over Auburn on Saturday (November 27th, 3:30 pm ET) in the Iron Bowl
• The Crimson Tide fell one spot in the College Football Playoff rankings this week after an underwhelming performance in Week 12 against Arkansas
• Read below for odds, analysis and a betting prediction

A new chapter in one of college football’s greatest rivalries will be written on Saturday (Nov. 27th), as #3 Alabama faces Auburn in the 86th edition of the Iron Bowl. The Crimson Tide (10-1, 6-1 SEC) enter play with national championship aspirations, while for the Tigers (6-5, 3-4) this is their Super Bowl.

Alabama has won five straight after its shocking loss at Texas A&M, while Auburn is in the midst of a season-long three-game losing streak.

#3 Alabama vs Auburn Odds

Odds as of Nov. 23rd at DraftKings.

The Crimson Tide opened up as a 19.5-point favorite, in a game that features a total of 56. Kick-off is set for 3:30 pm ET at Jordan Hare Stadium in Auburn, AL, with CBS providing the tv coverage, and chilly conditions on tap. The current forecast projects sunny skies, with a high of just 53 degrees.

Bama Needs to Make a Statement

Alabama fell one spot in the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, thanks to an underwhelming performance in Week 12. The Crimson Tide barely snuck by #21 Arkansas 42-35 at home, despite an incredible game from Bryce Young.

Bryce Young WENT OFF against Arkansas! 😤 pic.twitter.com/7hjUhh1oXT

— ESPN (@espn) November 21, 2021

The sophomore QB threw for a school record 559 yards and 5 TD. It’s the second most passing yards in SEC history, and keeps his Heisman Trophy hopes alive. Young is a top-two contender for the prestigious award, trailing only Ohio State QB CJ Stroud.

Who is your pick for Heisman Trophy? 🏆

🔁 Bryce Young
♥ C.J. Stroud pic.twitter.com/KJhXltQGHj

— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 20, 2021

He hit Jameson Williams eight times for 190 yards and three scores, while also tossing TD passes to John Metchie and Christian Leary. The Crimson Tide racked up 671 total yards, but turned the ball over in scoring position and yielded four sacks.

Defensively, the effort was not pretty. Alabama coughed up 468 yards to the Razorbacks, including 358 yards through the air. Bama’s defense has been under fire all season, and this latest performance is especially concerning given their future opponents.

Alabama fans watching the defense pic.twitter.com/pl3K7Eoahu

— Clint Lamb (@ClintRLamb) November 20, 2021

The Crimson Tide faces #1 Georgia in the SEC Championship game on December 4th, and should they advance to the College Football Playoff, they’ll have to deal with the best offenses in the country.

Tigers Looking to Play Spoiler

Auburn meanwhile, has dropped three straight outings to SEC opposition, including back-to-back games in which they were favored. Last time out, they fell 21-17 to South Carolina, blowing a multi-touchdown lead for the second straight contest.

Final. pic.twitter.com/I1CpDfWNGw

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) November 21, 2021

With starter Bo Nix out for the season, LSU transfer T.J. Finley made his first start as a Tiger, and he didn’t exactly impress. He completed just 53% of his passes for 188 yards, and led Auburn to only 3 second half points.

Auburn's T.J. Finley talked Tuesday about preparing for his first Iron Bowl

• "I'm looking forward to this week to show everybody what we've been working on. I'm looking forward to Saturday… I'm ready for it."
• "I'm calm and steady. I love to rise to the occasion." pic.twitter.com/zFZ7oxhEwG

— Auburn Gold Mine (@AUGoldMine) November 24, 2021

The defense did its part by holding the Gamecocks to only 306 total yards, but the Tigers’ stagnant offense couldn’t take advantage. Auburn is averaging just 27 points per game, 17 less than Alabama, and will need to rely heavily on its defense if they hope to keep this matchup close.

Alabama vs Auburn Pick

Believe or not, the Tigers have actually had Bama’s number over the past few years. Auburn has beaten Alabama in two of the past four Iron Bowls, which accounts for 40% of the Tide’s losses over the last four seasons.

Alabama has especially struggled in Auburn, losing outright in three of its past four visits. Despite their incredible offense, the Tide has failed to put opponents away. Each of their past three conference games have been one-score affairs at one point in the final quarter, and they haven’t looked the like the dominant program they were a year ago.

#Alabama DB Jordan Battle on if there's any concern about looking ahead: "No concern at all. We know Auburn is the biggest game of the year. We can't look past this game. This is the Iron Bowl, one of the biggest rivalries that we'll be remembered for for the rest of our lives."

— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) November 23, 2021

In 2020, Alabama’s average margin of victory was 30 points versus Power 5 competition, while this year it’s just 16.

Roll with the Tigers, but don’t bet them right away. If you hold out until Saturday, you’ll likely to get a more favorable number as public money pours in on the Crimson Tide.

Pick: Auburn Tigers +19.5 (-105)