1971 Auburn Tigers football team

The 1971 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1971 NCAA University Division football season. The Tigers offense scored 335 points while the defense allowed 182 points. SEC Champion Alabama handed Auburn their only conference loss of the year. Pat Sullivan won the Heisman Trophy.

1971 Auburn Tigers football
Sugar Bowl, L 22–40 vs. Oklahoma
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 5
APNo. 12
Record9–2 (5–1 SEC)
Head coach
CaptainPat Sullivan
Home stadiumCliff Hare Stadium
Seasons
← 1970
1972 →
1971 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Alabama $ 7 0 0 11 1 0
No. 7 Georgia 5 1 0 11 1 0
No. 12 Auburn 5 1 0 9 2 0
No. 15 Ole Miss 4 2 0 10 2 0
No. 9 Tennessee 4 2 0 10 2 0
No. 11 LSU 3 2 0 9 3 0
Vanderbilt 1 5 0 4 6 1
Florida 1 6 0 4 7 0
Kentucky 1 6 0 3 8 0
Mississippi State 1 7 0 2 9 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

In the Iron Bowl, both teams entered the regular season finale undefeated: Auburn lost to Alabama, 31–7. On New Year's Day, the Tigers lost to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl, 40-22.

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 18Chattanooga*No. 7W 60–745,000[1]
September 25at No. 9 TennesseeNo. 5W 10–962,990[2]
October 2No. 9 KentuckyNo. 5
  • Cliff Hare Stadium
  • Auburn, AL
W 38–648,000[3]
October 9Southern Miss*No. 4
  • Cliff Hare Stadium
  • Auburn, AL
W 27–1442,000[4]
October 16at Georgia Tech*No. 5W 31–1460,204[5]
October 23Clemson* No. 5
  • Cliff Hare Stadium
  • Auburn, AL
W 35–1355,000[6]
October 30FloridaNo. 5
  • Cliff Hare Stadium
  • Auburn, AL (rivalry)
W 40–763,500[7]
November 6Mississippi StateNo. 5
  • Cliff Hare Stadium
  • Auburn, AL
W 30–2145,000[8]
November 13at No. 7 GeorgiaNo. 6W 35–2062,891[9]
November 27vs. No. 3 AlabamaNo. 5L 7–3168,821[10]
January 1vs. No. 3 Oklahoma*No. 5L 22–4084,031[11]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[12]

Roster

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1971 Auburn Tigers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 7 Pat Sullivan Sr
WR 88 Terry Beasley Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt

Roster

1972 NFL Draft

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Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Terry Beasley Wide receiver 1 19 San Francisco 49ers
Pat Sullivan Quarterback 2 40 Atlanta Falcons
Dick Schmalz Wide receiver 17 440 Minnesota Vikings

[13]

Awards and honors

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References

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  1. ^ "War Eagles toy with Mocs, 60–7". The Montgomery Advertiser. September 19, 1971. Retrieved September 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Sullivan finally whips Auburn past Vols 10–9". The Selma Times-Journal. September 26, 1971. Retrieved May 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Auburn aerial circus frolics past UK 38–6". The Park City Daily News. October 3, 1971. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Auburn pressed to record 27–14 victory over S. Miss". The Selma Times-Journal. October 10, 1971. Retrieved March 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Auburn cuts loose for 31–14 triumph". Austin American-Statesman. October 17, 1971. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Auburn closes door on scrappy Clemson". The Charlotte Observer. October 24, 1971. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Sullivan-led Tigers drub Gators, 40–7". The Bradenton Herald. October 31, 1971. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Auburn's string now 10 in win over Mississippi State". The Spokesman-Review. November 7, 1971. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Super Sully sizzles, 35–20". The Nashville Tennessean. November 14, 1971. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "'Bad Bama' Bears down on Auburn, 31–7". The Daily Progress. November 28, 1971. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Sooners smack Auburn in Sugar Bowl matchup". The Daily Advertiser. January 2, 1972. Retrieved October 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ 2005 Auburn Tigers Football Media Guide, Auburn University Athletic Department, Auburn, Alabama, pp. 142–142, 180 (2005). Retrieved August 19, 2011
  13. ^ "1972 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.
  14. ^ "Football". Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2009.