The Auburn Tigers were not expected to do very well in 2016. In fact, coach Gus Malzahn’s squad was picked by many to finish in last place in the SEC West.

However, the Tigers blew past expectations and ended their season with an appearance in the Sugar Bowl, where they lost 35-19 to the Oklahoma Sooners.

This fall, though, expectations in Auburn will be much higher as nearly all of the key contributors return to the team.

Malzahn told AL.com that he truly believes that, with Baylor-transfer QB Jarrett Stidham in the mix, the Tigers have the pieces in place to make a run at a College Football Playoff berth:

“I really do, from the standpoint that we’ve got more returning starters than we’ve had in, what, the last 12 years? That’s important,” Malzahn said before the first stop of his Ambush speaking tour in Tampa on Thursday. “The big thing is I feel like we have quality depth at the quarterback position and that’s been kind of an Achilles heel the last couple of years.

“I feel good about where this team is at and I’m excited this team has worked extremely hard. They just have that feel like successful teams have and we’ve got good leadership. It’s just a matter of us coaching these guys hard and staying healthy at the key positions and I think we have a chance.”

The Tigers will find out quickly whether they’re pretenders or contenders this season, as they have a Week 2 road matchup against Clemson — the defending national champions.

Auburn will need to take care of business in that game to signal to the rest of the college football world that they’re not to be taken lightly this fall.