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Auburn’s defense will keep total under against Missouri

Updated September 22, 2017 - 7:44 pm

Auburn has seen the under cash this season at a 3-0 clip with its games netting combined scores of 48, 20 and 34 points.

I made the total 51½ points for Auburn’s trip to Missouri on Saturday. But most sports books have the number at 60½, so we’re pouncing on this under.

Auburn’s defense has been nothing short of sensational, ranking first in the country in total defense and 11th in scoring defense at 10.3 points per game.

Auburn’s offense is struggling mightily, scoring only 24 points in its Sept. 16 home game vs. FCS opponent Mercer following its 14-6 loss at Clemson. Quarterback Jarrett Stidham is clearly struggling with two interceptions and only two TD passes, while star running back Kamryn Pettway is averaging 3.6 yards per carry.

Missouri quarterback Drew Lock has only one TD pass and four interceptions in the last two games. Missouri, coming off a 35-3 loss to Purdue, has produced six points in its past seven quarters.

The under has cashed in back-to-back games for Missouri with combined scores of 44 and 38 points. This total is entirely too high.

Five other plays (home team in CAPS):

MARYLAND (-4) over Central Florida: D.J. Durkin’s team has had two weeks to prepare for UCF, which has been off for 21 days because of Hurricane Irma. Maryland topped Texas 51-41 in its opener before beating Towson 63-17. I made the Terrapins 8-point favorites over UCF.

Michigan-PURDUE (Under 50): Michigan’s combined scores through three games are 50, 50 and 42 points. But the Wolverines’ 33-17 win over Florida featured three defensive touchdowns, and Air Force scored a special-teams TD in its 29-13 loss to Michigan on Sept. 16. Wolverines quarterback Wilton Speight has completed only 54.5 percent of his throws, and Michigan’s leading wideout, Tarik Black, is out with a broken foot.

New Mexico-TULSA (Over 68): I made this total 76. Tulsa’s scores have resulted in 83, 108 and 105 combined points. The over is 3-0 for the Golden Hurricane, who lost starting senior safety Jordan Mitchell to a season-ending injury in their 54-51 loss to Toledo on Sept. 16. Also, senior defensive end Jesse Brubaker is suspended for the first half because of a targeting penalty.

North Carolina State (+12) over FLORIDA STATE: I love fading a team with a quarterback making his first career start. We have a massive quarterback advantage here in the Wolfpack’s Ryan Finley, who has completed 75.6 percent of his passes for 987 yards without an interception. Seminoles quarterback James Blackman is a true freshman who played sparingly vs. Alabama. N.C. State is on a 11-5 ATS run on the road.

CALIFORNIA (+17) over Southern California: USC has 11 players listed as questionable on the injury report, and star linebacker Porter Gustin is out. Cal coach Justin Wilcox has done an outstanding job with his unbeaten Golden Bears, who have wins at North Carolina and vs. Mississippi. I made USC an 11½-point favorite, so I’ll take the generous double-digit home underdog.

Last week: 4-1 against the spread

Season: 11-4-1

Brian Edwards of VegasInsider.com and BrianEdwardsSports.com is providing college football analysis for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Follow @vegasbedwards on Twitter.

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