Even if you take away the 2018 College Football Playoff implications, the Iron Bowl is always must-see television. However, when one side does have national championship hopes, it takes the intensity to another level. That's the backdrop on Saturday for the 83rd edition of the Alabama vs. Auburn rivalry, with No. 1 Alabama hoping to win this week, and then in the SEC Championship to take any of the guesswork out of its playoff candidacy. The Crimson Tide are 24.5-point favorites in the latest Alabama vs. Auburn odds, but Auburn would love nothing more than to make them sweat in front of a national audience on CBS at 3:30 p.m. ET. So before you make your Alabama vs. Auburn picks, be sure to check out the Iron Bowl picks and projections from the advanced computer model at SportsLine. 

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times, and those who have followed it have seen massive returns. Over the past three years, this proprietary computer model has generated a jaw-dropping $4,210 profit for $100 bettors on its top-rated point-spread picks.

The model was red-hot in Week 12, nailing Oklahoma State's outright upset of West Virginia. And when it comes to all top-rated picks, the model went a blistering 12-5 last week, extending its overall run to 30-12. Anybody who has been following it is way, way up.

Now, it has simulated every possible play for Alabama vs. Auburn (streaming on fuboTV) 10,000 times. We can tell you the model is leaning toward the under, but it has a strong selection against the spread, saying one side hits in nearly 55 percent of simulations. You absolutely need to see it before locking in your own picks.

The Crimson Tide have put together one of the most dominant seasons in college football history, and while their defense is loaded with future NFL talent again, it's actually their offense that has made them so good. With the exception of Mississippi State managing to limit them to 305 yards in a 24-0, the Crimson Tide have put up at least 500 yards of total offense in every other game of the season.

Look for them to put the full weight of that offense to use against Auburn. And unlike in games against Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas A&M where they failed to cover by seven points or less, the nature of this rivalry makes it seem significantly less likely that they'll call the dogs off if they can build another big lead.

But just because the Crimson Tide's offense is rolling doesn't mean it can cover a huge number against the Tigers.

Auburn will look to follow the Mississippi State and Citadel blueprints to the best of its ability to grind the game to a halt. The Bulldogs used their impressive defensive line to bottle up Alabama's rushing attack without committing extra defenders to the box, and The Citadel attacked the Crimson Tide's defense on the ground with misdirection. That's already an important part of Gus Malzahn's rushing attack, but expect it to become an even more integral part of the game plan in the 2018 Iron Bowl.

If Malzahn can use running back JaTarvius Whitlow to break a few big runs and Anthony Schwartz's world-class speed at wide receiver, it could change the complexion of the game and help the Tigers cover.

So which side of the Alabama vs. Auburn spread hits in nearly 55 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to back in this heated rivalry, all from the model that has returned more than $4,000 in profit for $100 bettors.