Most rate Auburn's DL a Top 10 unit nationally with many suggesting a Top 5. Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Nick
Coe combined for 121 tackles, 28 tackles for loss, 15 sacks and 30 QB hurries last year. Tyron Truesdell, Big Cat Bryant,
T.D. Moultry, Richard Jibunor, Daquan Newkirk and Coynis Miller provide solid depth. If Auburn is going to beat Oregon,
the defensive line will lead the way.
I agree with all that you're saying; they have a stout front, and they're 2 deep with the 8-9 man rotation. The Oregon OL is rated as one of the best in the country, with experience across the line. This will be a battle, and both fronts should somewhat neutralize each other. I firmly believe people will be shocked when they see AU run the ball this season, and Oregon will feel that push right away....whether it's Gatewood or Nix under Center. I expect AU to run the ball with similar success as they did in 2016 with Kerryon Johnson and Kam Pettway. Should be a great opener!
I expect a team on a mission that will rally around a young QB early until that young QB has success in his own right and can win games on the road. Whether or not that young QB is Joey or Bo remains to be seen. So much of this seasons success will depend on this first game. It will be a battle for sure.
Conference strength can be a key to succedssful handicapping of college football.
It has proven to be effective for several bowl seasons these are both bowl caliber teams. Lazy? I am too lazy right now to look it up now but last two years going against Pac 12 in bowls is about 75-80% winners.
The Pac 12 is AAA, SEC is the major leagues, check the Pac 12 results for several years.
I will research this game more with respect to returning starters, other factors etc, but at this point it is coming down to small, medium or BIG on Auburn.
"Meaningless" bowl games are "irrelevant"? You do not handicap games based upon previous games played? What do you use?
I can't help you. Unteachable. Unable to learn. You have harassed me on this point for years and I would think, by now, you would be embarrassed. Nope.
Again, look up the results the last several years, the Pac 12 is soft, is outmatched outside their conference, without looking it up I think they are less than 20% ATS at least in bowl contests. In the Oregon-Auburn game, the Pac 12 goes against the TOP conference, the SEC, and a strong winning team in that conference.
Ridiculous.
Sure there are some letdowns when a good team plays in a lesser bowl than they had hoped. But overall > 90% the teams play hard, to win, are driven hard to win by the AD, coach, and coaching staff, and the players are all focused to win on national TV, compete for starting positions next year, look good for their final game, be able to tell people at work, at a BBQ, at a bar, the rest of their lives they won a goddam bowl game!
2017 Pac 12 2-7 ATS in bowl games
2018 Pac 12 2-5 ATS in bowl games (they vary with close point spreads)
TOTAL: Pac 12 is 4-12 ATS
Bet against the Pac 12 = 75% winners
This is indicative of the relative strength of conferences.
The public hears about how good the big power conference Pac 12 teams like Oregon or USC et al looked against their own conference for several months. Then they go into the real world of bowls against other conferences.
SURE I look at QB's, defense, motivation, coaching, home/away, running game, OL, DL, injuries, weather, turf but the fact that the Pac 12 is a soft conference is a key factor in my assessment.
