The Auburn Tigers have one of the proudest fanbases in college football. Lately, though, the product they’ve seen on the field isn’t one to take a ton of pride in. The Tigers haven’t won more than six games in a season since 2019. They also haven’t won a bowl game since the 2018 season.
This lack of success isn’t due to complacency. Auburn has fired three head coaches — Gus Malzahn, Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze — over the past seven campaigns.
The Tigers are hoping former South Florida head coach Alex Golesh is the man who can get them back to championship-contending status. Doing so in year one, though, will be tough. ESPN’s Football Power Index favors Auburn in just seven of its 12 contests:
- Sept 5: Baylor Bears | 68.3% chance to win
- Sept 12: Southern Miss Golden Eagles | 91.4% chance to win
- Sept 19: Florida Gators | 51.6% chance to win
- Sept 26: Vanderbilt Commodores | 65.2% chance to win
- Oct 3: Tennessee Volunteers | 34.7% chance to win
- Oct 17: Georgia Bulldogs | 15.6% chance to win
- Oct 24: LSU Tigers | 32.7% chance to win
- Oct 31: Ole Miss Rebels | 32.0% chance to win
- Nov 7: Arkansas Razorbacks | 77.5% chance to win
- Nov 14: Mississippi State Bulldogs | 67.5% chance to win
- Nov 21: Samford Bulldogs | 99.6% chance to win
- Nov 28: Alabama Crimson Tide | 22.4% chance to win
The Tigers’ Sept. 19 matchup with the Gators is a true toss-up in FPI’s eyes. If Auburn can win that game, it will be well-positioned to eclipse the six-win threshold.
For Golesh, that should qualify as a solid foundation from which to build upon. The Tigers’ season-opener versus Baylor will kick off at 3:30 p.m. E.T. (ABC).
