Vanderbilt vs. Auburn Recap: Punt Return TD and a Clock-Killing Drive

Auburn beat Vanderbilt 21-15, and it was closer than the scoreboard looked for most of the night. Auburn led 14-3 at halftime, helped by a 10-yard punt return touchdown from Cade Carlson. Vanderbilt answered with a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter, then kicked two field goals to get within six with 6:26 left. Auburn took the ball back and ran out the clock on an 11-play drive. Three DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game, all posted before kickoff.

What cashed

Auburn ML (-410 at FanDuel): CASHED

• Our read: Auburn was a 9.5-point home favorite, and Vanderbilt was missing a starting cornerback, a linebacker and two defensive linemen. Called by Darius.
• What happened: Auburn won by 6. It wasn't pretty. Vanderbilt out-gained Auburn 311 to 279 and had the ball for 37:32. What decided it was Carlson's punt return and a final possession where Auburn never gave the ball back. Auburn would not have covered 9.5, so the moneyline was the right way to back it.
• Worth watching: At -410 this is a parlay leg, not a standalone bet. Choosing the ML over the spread on a favorite with a thin margin is the part worth repeating.

ALT: Junior Sherrill 50+ receiving yards (alt, targeted -170 to -200): CASHED

• Our read: Sherrill was averaging 5 catches and 90.7 yards a game, with a main line of 72.5. We dropped down to 50+ for the cushion.
• What happened: He caught 6 passes for 95 yards with a long of 39. That cleared 49.5 by 45.5 yards. Jared Curtis threw for 199 yards, and nearly half of them went to Sherrill. He got there without a touchdown, in a game where Vanderbilt ran the ball 41 times.
• Worth watching: His volume matched the season numbers almost exactly. When a receiver gets this big a share of his team's passing yards, an alt gives plenty of room.

ALT: Byrum Brown 35+ rushing yards (alt, targeted -170 to -200): CASHED

• Our read: The Auburn QB was running for 60 yards a game. College stats count sacks as rushing, so we took the cushion instead of the main line.
• What happened: Brown ran 10 times for 57 yards with a long of 15, and scored on a 2-yard run in the third quarter to put Auburn up 21-9. That cleared 34.5 by 22.5 yards. He threw for 140 yards on 27 attempts, so his legs were a real part of the offense.
• Worth watching: He finished close to his average even in a game where Auburn had the ball for just 22:28. The cushion is a sensible way to play QB rushing in college, where one sack can wipe out a long run.

How the game played out

Vanderbilt moved the ball but couldn't finish. It went 4-for-17 on third down, turned it over on downs in the first quarter and came away empty on a field goal try in the second. Brock Taylor made three field goals, from 39, 47 and 45 yards. A failed two-point try after Sedrick Alexander's 3-yard touchdown run also left points on the board. Curtis completed 22 of 33 passes for 199 yards with an interception and added 46 rushing yards on 18 carries.

Trends to watch

• Sherrill turned in 95 of Vanderbilt's 199 passing yards. That share makes his receiving alts worth a look.
• Auburn won as a -410 favorite by just 6 points, with 279 total yards and a special teams touchdown. Big favorites at that price fit parlays, not single bets.
• Brown had 10 carries in a game Auburn barely had the ball. Mobile college QBs on a cushioned alt are worth watching.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. New to these terms? Read up on the alt line, the moneyline and the parlay, or head back to the college football hub.