Auburn will try to stand up to another test when the 12th-ranked Tigers face the 18th-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in the 2020 Outback Bowl on New Year's Day. The Tigers opened the regular season against a ranked Oregon team and closed it with a bitter rivalry game against then-No. 5 Alabama. They won both of those contests, losing only to top-10 teams Florida, LSU and Georgia on their way to a 9-3 mark. A victory would give Auburn its third 10-win campaign in Gus Malzahn's seven seasons, and kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

The Tigers are seven-point favorites in the latest Minnesota vs. Auburn odds, off a half-point from the opener, while the over-under is 54 after the total opened at 51.5. Before considering your Auburn vs. Minnesota picks, be sure to check out the 2020 Outback Bowl predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $4,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also went a sizzling 8-2 on all picks against the spread during Championship Week. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has broken down Minnesota vs. Auburn. We can tell you that the model is leaning under, and it's also generated an against the spread pick that is hitting in well over 50 percent of simulations. Go to SportsLine to see it. Now, here are the college football odds and trends for Minnesota vs. Auburn:

  • Auburn vs. Minnesota spread: Tigers -7
  • Auburn vs. Minnesota over-under: 54
  • Auburn vs. Minnesota money line: Tigers -272, Golden Gophers +221
  • Auburn: RBs Shaun Shivers, D.J. Williams and JaTarvious Whitlow have topped 100 yards in a game this season. 
  • Minnesota: WR Rashod Bateman has 426 yards over the last four games.

Why Auburn can cover

The model knows the Tigers have covered the spread in their last six non-conference games, and the offense is led by underclassmen. Freshman quarterback Bo Nix has thrown for 2,366 yards, rushed for 301, and accounted for 22 touchdowns, while sophomore running back JaTarvious Whitlow has rushed for 739 yards. Seth Williams has emerged as the top wideout with 801 yards and eight TDs.

The Tigers are 10-2 against the spread in their last 12 games as a favorite and the defense has been disruptive all season. The unit averages 7.5 tackles for loss per game and has 28 sacks. End Marlon Anderson has 7.5 sacks, and All-America defensive tackle Derrick Brown has four and sets the tone up front. The 6-foot-5, 325-pounder has two of the team's 13 fumble recoveries, which is tied for third in the nation and has helped the Tigers post a plus-six turnover margin.

Why Minnesota can cover

The Tigers might have talent on both sides of the ball, but that doesn't mean they will cover the Auburn vs. Minnesota spread in the Outback Bowl 2020. Morgan, who started six games as a freshman, has completed 66.1 percent of his passes and thrown for 2,975 yards for the Gophers, who have covered the spread in four of their last six bowl games. Morgan has a big-time target in All-Big Ten receiver Rashod Bateman, who has 1,170 yards and averages 20.5 per catch. Senior running back Rodney Smith averages 5.0 yards per carry.

The Gophers' defense only allows 312.8 per game (15th in FBS). The unit is led by Winfield, who has a team-high 80 tackles and seven interceptions. The Gophers also have 26 sacks, led by linebacker Carter Coughlin's 4.5. The defense allows 184.9 yards per game through the air (12th in FBS).

So who wins Minnesota vs. Auburn in the Outback Bowl 2020? And which side of the spread is hitting well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Minnesota vs. Auburn spread to back on New Year's Day, all from the advanced model that has returned almost $4,000 on its top-rated college football picks.