For the first time since 2020, Auburn football has a chance to finish the season with a winning record.
In the Music City Bowl, the Tigers (6-6, 3-5 SEC) will face the Maryland Terrapins (7-5, 4-5 Big Ten). Auburn previously defeated Purdue 63-7 in the Music City Bowl.
Perhaps they will have similar success against a similar Big Ten opponent, who, unlike Purdue, will be playing without their starting quarterback.
The Tigers will win this one, according to the NCAA game simulator.
The Tigers win by an average of 24-20 after 641 simulations of Auburn vs. Maryland at a neutral site game. 157 times (24.5%), the contest was decided by less than five points. Auburn won 374 games (58.3%) and 104 games by 20 points or more (16.2%). Maryland won 267 games (41.7%), with 37 of those victories coming by more than 20 points (5.8%).
This is despite the fact that Taulia Tagovailoa, the Big Ten’s all-time passing leader, will not be playing. In fact, it considers every transfer portal loss or injury that the Tigers and Terrapins have currently.
Auburn won 29-7 in the simulation that the website showed me. Payton Thorne threw for 102 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He also ran for a touchdown. Jarquez Hunter accounted for 103 of Auburn’s 243 yards on the ground. Alex McPherson converted all five of his field goal attempts.
And, for the record, Maryland quarterback Billy Edwards completed 45.7% of his passes for 156 yards, one touchdown, and six interceptions. Yes, you are correct. There were six interceptions.
If Edwards is prone to turnovers, even if he only produces half of what the NCAA game simulator predicts, the Tigers could easily win this game.
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