I don't know how to handicap this one. I would think that with the season half over this weekend, and the bears having played only a single home game, they have to be juiced about finally playing at home against a "real" team. Their only home game this year was against SE Missou. They lost a fairly close game to AU, but after playing essentially the entire season so far on the road, I'm not sure they weren't road weary. And Auburn had an open date the week before the game.
I have to admit the bears got 17ed hard on their schedule this year-- not only was every real opponent they had for the first half of the season on the road-- they have to play Auburn, ATM and LSU--who have 3 losses between them-- the week after each of those teams have open dates.
Ouch. They must have pissed off somebody.