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Auburn Tigers

Auburn beginning to resemble its 2013 self

Jordan Cox

By Jordan Cox

Published:

Magic is brewing on the Plains.

Again.

Entering the season, many considered the Auburn Tigers a great team. But experts never really considered Auburn to repeat as SEC West and SEC champions.

Then the Tigers won at Ole Miss on the first Saturday in November.

In a game that felt like 2013, Auburn looked like its 2013 counterparts. Nick Marshall played his best game of the season, Cameron Artis-Payne gashed one of the best defenses in the country and the Tigers’ defense had no answer for Bo Wallace and the Rebels in the second half.

Auburn’s had some close games this season, sure. But the Tigers haven’t needed to pull a win out of a hat the way they did Saturday night in Oxford.

The road win at Kansas State reflected more the Wildcats missing opportunities than Auburn needing a miracle. Auburn got some late defensive stops two weeks ago in the win over South Carolina, but Gamecocks signal-caller Dylan Thompson turned the football over, killing Carolina drives.

Again the Tigers had a strong September. Again they lost a conference game early. And again do they have Georgia and Alabama looming with no one still giving any thought to Gus Malzahn’s team making it back to Atlanta.

Except for Gus Malzahn’s team.

Everyone inside that program believes. They say it publicly. When the game is close late, Auburn coaches and players believe they will find a way to win.

And they have.

In Gus Malzahn’s one and a half seasons at Auburn, his Tigers are 9-1 in games decided by a touchdown or less. That includes the Prayer at Jordan-Hare, Kick Six and the latest installment of “how will they do it this time?” wins.

“Our guys found ways to win last year when it was close,” Malzahn told Greg Ostendorf of ESPN.com after Saturday night’s win at Ole Miss. “[They] truly believe that they’re going to win the game if it’s close. They made plays. They made plays down there to win the game defensively.”

At this point last season, Auburn was 8-1 and ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press Top 25. Malzahn, Marshall and company went on to beat Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Missouri and nearly knocked off No. 1 Florida State.

The story was magical.

This season, the Tigers are 7-1 and ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25. Auburn hosts Texas A&M this weekend, followed by the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, Samford and the Iron Bowl.

Will the story have the same ending?

The Tigers hope not.

The difference these 2014 Auburn Tigers hope to have from its 2013 counterparts?

Finish those 13 seconds.

Will Auburn, currently No. 3 in the College Football Playoff Top 25, make — and win — the inaugural playoff?

It’s doubtful, but you better not count them out.

 

Jordan Cox

After living in Birmingham, Ala., Jordan left the ground zero of SEC Nation to head south to Florida to tell the unique stories of the renowned tradition of SEC football. In his free time, his mission is to find the best locales around.

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