Auburn Tigers football

Auburn Tigers football
2013 Auburn Tigers football team
First season	1892
Stadium	Jordan–Hare Stadium (capacity: 87,451)
Field	Pat Dye Field
Year built	1939
Field surface	Natural Grass
Location	Auburn, Alabama
League	NCAA Division I (FBS)
Division	SEC Western Division
Past conferences	Independent (1892–1894) Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1895–1920) Southern Conference (1921–1932)
All-time record	733–416–47 (.633)
Bowl record	22–14–2 (.605)
Claimed national titles	5 (1913, 1957, 1983, 1993, 2010)
Unclaimed national titles	4 (1910, 1914, 1958, 2004)
Conference titles	12 (3 SIAA, 1 Southern, 8 SEC)
Division titles	8 (1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2013)
Heisman winners	3 (Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson, and Cam Newton)
Consensus All-Americans	68
Current uniform
Colors	Navy blue and Burnt orange
Fight song	War Eagle (Fight Song)
Mascot	Aubie the Tiger
Marching band	Auburn University Marching Band
Outfitter	Under Armour
Rivals	Alabama Crimson Tide (Iron Bowl) Georgia Bulldogs (Deep South's Oldest Rivalry) LSU Tigers (Tiger Bowl)
Website	www.auburntigers.com/sports/m-footbl/

The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in the sport of American football. The Auburn Tigers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Auburn officially began competing in intercollegiate football in 1892. The Tigers joined the Southeastern Conference in 1932 as one of the inaugural members of the conference and the Tigers began competing in the West Division when the conference divided in 1992. Auburn has been recognized with 5 national championships by the NCAA, 7 perfect seasons, 12 conference championships, 8 divisional championships, and has made 38 bowl appearances, including eight historically major or BCS bowl berths (Sugar, Orange, BCS Championship). The Tigers have the 12th most wins in FBS history with over 700 victories and have finished ranked in the Top 25 of either the AP or Coaches polls 37 times, including 18 top ten finishes (ranked 12th nationally for AP poll top ten finishes).

The Tigers have produced three Heisman Trophy winners: quarterback Pat Sullivan in 1971, running back Bo Jackson in 1985, and quarterback Cam Newton in 2010. Auburn has also produced sixty-six consensus All-American players, many all-conference team selections including All-SEC player and All-SEC academic, multiple MVPs and Rhodes Scholar athletes, and other academic honors. The College Football Hall of Fame has inducted a total of 12 individuals from Auburn, including 8 student-athletes and four head coaches: John Heisman, Mike Donahue, Ralph "Shug" Jordan, and Pat Dye. Ralph "Shug" Jordan, who coached from 1951 to 1975 and led Auburn to its first consensus national championship in 1957, won a total of 176 games, the most by any Auburn coach.

Auburn's home stadium is Jordan–Hare Stadium, which opened in 1939 and becomes Alabama's fifth largest city on gamedays with a capacity of 87,451. Auburn's archrival is in-state foe Alabama. The Tigers and Crimson Tide meet annually in the Iron Bowl, one of the biggest rivalries in all of sports. The Tigers also maintain rivalries with SEC foes Georgia and LSU. The Tigers are currently led by head coach Gus Malzahn, Auburn's offensive coordinator from 2009 to 2011 and during the 2010 national championship season. He returned as head coach on December 4, 2012, following the departure of Gene Chizik. The Tigers are the reigning SEC Champions after defeating #5 Missouri 59–42 in the 2013 SEC Championship Game. Auburn faced #1 Florida State in the 2014 BCS National Championship Game, falling to the undefeated Seminoles, 31-34. This marked the second SEC title and BCS Championship appearance in four years. Auburn also has the most SEC Titles in the last ten years with three: 2004, 2010, and 2013.

Origins and History

The organization of Auburn's first football team is credited to George Petrie, who led the 1892 Tigers to a 3–2 record. Petrie also chose burnt orange and navy blue as the official colors for Auburn athletic teams, which was inspired by his alma mater, the University of Virginia. The first game was against the University of Georgia at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, Georgia. Auburn won, 10–0, in front of a crowd of 2,000, in a game that would establish the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry. Auburn met in-state rival Alabama for the first time ever at Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Alabama during the 1893 season, which ended with a 32–22 victory for the Tigers.

Early History (1892–1903)

Auburn was led by nine different coaches over a 12-year span, including John Heisman (1895–1899), for whom the Heisman trophy is named. During five years, Heisman compiled a 12–4–2 record, before departing for Clemson in 1900. Auburn's first conference membership came in 1895, when it joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). The first undefeated season came in 1900, when the Tigers went 4–0 under coach Billy Watkins.

Mike Donahue era (1904–1922)

Coach Donahue

Mike Donahue became the tenth head coach of the Auburn Tigers. Donahue's tenure at Auburn helped elevate the program to new heights, including the school's first national championship, three SIAA championships, and three undefeated seasons. In 1904, His first team finished with a 5–0 record and a share of the conference championship. The 1907 season would mark the last time Auburn would play Alabama until 1948, after a 7–7 tie between the two rivals. The 1910 team claimed a share of the conference championship with a 6-1 record and was named national champions by minor selector Maxwell Ratings. Donahue's best season came in 1913, when Auburn claimed its first outright conference championship with an 8–0 record. The 1913 Tigers were also named national champions by Billingsley Report, which is recognized by the NCAA records book as Auburn's first national championship. The 1914 team also won a conference championship with an 8–0–1 record, and were named national champions by minor selector Howell Ratings. The Tigers would return to the top of the conference once again in 1919, with an 8–1 record. Auburn moved to the Southern Conference in 1921, one year before Donahue's departure from Auburn in 1922, before becoming the coach at LSU in 1923.

Pitts, Morey, Bohler and Wynne (1923–1933)

Coach Wynne

Boozer Pitts was promoted from assistant coach to Auburn's head football coach, serving from 1923-1924 and again in 1927. Pitts failed to win more than four games in a single season during his tenure that included an 0-4-2 1927 season.

In September 1925, Dave Morey was hired as the head football coach. Morey was the head coach at Auburn for three years (1925–1927), compiling an overall record of 10–10–1 at the school. The highlight of Morey's tenure with Auburn was a 2–0 win over Bernie Bierman's Tulane squad in the game that dedicated New Orleans' famous Sugar Bowl. In 1927, the Auburn football team lost its starting quarterback, who was expelled after being caught sneaking into the women's dormitory following a night of drunken reverie. The team opened the 1927 season with an 0–3 record, including embarrassing losses to Stetson College and Clemson. At a pep rally six days after the loss to Clemson, Morey announced his resignation.

George Bohler was Auburn's head football coach for two seasons from 1928-1929. He posted a 3-11 record in those two seasons before he was replaced due to the poor record and support.

Chet A. Wynne was Auburn's head football coach for four seasons (1930-1933), posting a 22-15-2 record before departing to take the head football coach position at Kentucky. Wynne's 1932 team posted a 9-0-1 record and won the Southern Conference championship in its final year in the conference before moving to the SEC.

Jack Meagher era (1934-1942)

Jack Meagher came to Auburn from Rice. Auburn's first bowl appearance came in 1936 under Coach Meagher after a 7–2–2 season. The Tigers traveled to Havana, Cuba to play Villanova in the Bacardi Bowl, which ended in a 7–7 tie. Auburn's first bowl win came after the 1937 season against Michigan State in the Orange Bowl. Meagher's final record at Auburn in 48-37-10.

Voyles and Brown (1944-1950)

Due to the events surrounding World War II, Auburn did not field a team in 1943, but resumed competition in 1944 under Carl Voyles. During Earl Brown's tenure, Auburn met Alabama for the first time since 1907, which ended with an Alabama victory. The Tigers quickly responded in 1949, as they stunned the heavily favored Crimson Tide in a 14–13 victory. An 0–10 season in 1950 called for a change, and marked the end of a trying era for Auburn football.

Ralph "Shug" Jordan era (1951–1975)

Coach Jordan

In 1951, Auburn hired Ralph "Shug" Jordan to become the new head coach of the Tigers. During his first season, Auburn finished with a 5–5 record. He led the Tigers to three consecutive bowl appearances in 1953, 1954, and 1955. Jordan is most recognized for his 1957 squad, which finished the season with a 10–0 record, and won Auburn's first SEC Championship. The Associated Press named the Auburn Tigers no. 1 in its postseason poll, marking the school's first consensus national championship in the modern era. The 1957 Auburn team was ineligible for Bowl participation due to NCAA Sanctions, having been placed on probation indefinitely. The 1958 team was also named national champions by minor selector Montgomery Ratings, after a 9–0–1 season. Auburn went on to appear in bowl games in 1963 and 1965. Beginning in 1968, the Tigers enjoyed seven consecutive bowl appearances under coach Jordan. In 1971, Auburn quarterback Pat Sullivan led the Tigers to a 9–2 record, and became the school's first Heisman Trophy winner. Auburn would go on to lose the 1972 Sugar Bowl to Oklahoma, 40–22. One of Jordan's biggest victories came against Alabama in 1972, when the Tigers shocked the Crimson Tide in a 17–16 upset. The 1972 Iron Bowl became known as the "Punt Bama Punt" game, due to two blocked Alabama punts in the fourth quarter, which were both returned for Auburn touchdowns. In 1973, Auburn's Cliff–Hare Stadium was renamed Jordan–Hare Stadium, which was the first stadium in the nation to be named for an active coach. After the 1975 season, Jordan retired after a 25-year tenure at Auburn, with a 176–83–7 record and a .675 winning percentage. The 176 career wins remain a record for an Auburn coach.

Doug Barfield era (1976–1980)

Following Jordan's retirement, Auburn hired Doug Barfield to become the new head coach. From 1976 to 1980, Barfield's Tigers compiled a 27–27–1 on-field record, with no bowl appearances. He lost all five games to rival Alabama during his tenure, and was later awarded two victories due to forfeits by Mississippi State in 1976 and 1977, making his record 29–25–1. He was dismissed from his position after a disappointing season in 1980, as the Tigers finished with a 5–6 record. Auburn then hired Pat Dye, a former assistant coach at Alabama under Coach Paul W. Bryant, and head coach at Wyoming at the time. During his first season in 1981, Auburn finished with a 5–6 record.

Pat Dye era (1981–1992)

In 1982, Pat Dye led Auburn to a 9–3 record and its first bowl appearance in eight years. The 1982 season would also begin a streak of nine consecutive bowl game appearances. The highlight of the season came against Alabama in the Iron Bowl, when Auburn snapped the Tide's 9-game winning streak. The 1982 Iron Bowl is widely known as the "Bo Over the Top" game, for Auburn running back Bo Jackson's leap over the top of a pile from the one-yard line to secure a 23–22 victory over Alabama. This would be the final Iron Bowl for Alabama's legendary coach, Bear Bryant, who retired after the 1982 season and died on January 26, 1983.

Dye's best season came in 1983, when the Tigers went 11–1, claiming the conference championship. Auburn went on to defeat Michigan in the Sugar Bowl 9–7. Some felt that #3 Auburn should have been crowned the national champions, due to #5 Miami's upset of #1 Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, and #7 Georgia's upset of #2 Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Nonetheless, Miami jumped from No. 5 to No. 1 in both the AP and Coaches polls, while Auburn remained in the No. 3 spot behind #2 Nebraska. The 1983 team is recognized by the NCAA as Auburn's third national championship in school history, citing selectors such as the New York Times and Billingsley Report.

In 1985, running back Bo Jackson would become the school's second Heisman Trophy winner. Auburn would go on to win three consecutive SEC championships in 1987, 1988, and 1989. In 1988, defensive tackle Tracy Rocker became the school's first Lombardi Award winner and also won the Outland Trophy. Pat Dye is credited for organizing the first ever Iron Bowl played in Auburn. On December 2, 1989, Bill Curry's #2 Crimson Tide (10–0) traveled to Jordan–Hare Stadium, which had surpassed the seating capacity of Legion Field, to face the #11 Auburn Tigers, who defeated the Tide, 30–20. The 1989 Iron Bowl would continue a 4-game winning streak over Alabama. Since 1981, Auburn has a 17–15 edge over Alabama in Iron Bowl wins.

Over twelve seasons, Dye achieved a 99–39–4 record, the third highest number of wins in Auburn football history, only behind Mike Donahue and Ralph "Shug" Jordan. In 2005, the playing surface of Jordan–Hare Stadium was named "Pat Dye Field" in honor of Dye's achievements and contributions he made to Auburn during his tenure.

Terry Bowden era (1993–1998)

Following the departure of Pat Dye, Auburn named Samford head coach Terry Bowden, son of legendary coach Bobby Bowden, head coach of the Tigers. In 1993, while serving a one-year television ban and two-year postseason bowl ban due to NCAA probation, Auburn shocked the nation by completing the season with a perfect 11–0 record. The Tigers were not eligible to play in the SEC Championship Game, nor a bowl game, but are recognized by the NCAA as national champions by National Championship Foundation ratings. The most memorable game of the 1994 season was the "Interception Game" versus LSU. In which the Auburn defense intercepted 7 LSU passes, returning 3 for touchdowns in the 4th quarter (Ken Alvis, Fred Smith and Brian Robinson). During the first two seasons under Bowden, the Tigers amassed a 20–1–1 record. After serving two years of probation, Auburn made three consecutive bowl game appearances from 1995 to 1997. Bowden's 1997 team won the SEC Western Division title, and played in the SEC Championship Game, falling to Tennessee, 30–29. In 1998, Bowden faced criticism for recruiting woes, off-the-field issues, and player discipline, which eventually led to his resignation after a 1–5 start on the season. Interim head coach Bill Oliver finished out the season, which ended with a 3–8 record. Bowden compiled a 47–17–1 record at Auburn after six seasons as head coach.

Tommy Tuberville era (1999–2008)

Coach Tuberville

Following the 1998 season, Ole Miss head coach Tommy Tuberville left Oxford to become the new head coach of the Auburn Tigers. In his first season, the Tigers finished with a 5–6 record, but would return to the SEC Championship Game in 2000, following a 9–0 victory over Alabama, which was played in Tuscaloosa for the first time in 99 years. The Tigers fell to Florida, 28–6, but would begin a streak of eight consecutive bowl appearances. Auburn would win a share of the SEC Western Division title in 2001 and 2002. The high point of the 2002 season was Auburn's 17–7 upset victory over Alabama, which began a six-year winning streak over the Tide. Tuberville's 2004 team completed the season with a perfect 13–0 record and an SEC Championship. Auburn was left out of the BCS National Championship Game, due to two other undefeated teams ranked higher, #1 USC (12–0) and #2 Oklahoma (12–0). The Tigers went on to defeat Virginia Tech, 16–13, in the Sugar Bowl, completing Auburn's third perfect season in the modern era of college football. USC defeated Oklahoma, 55–19, to win the national championship; however, they were later stripped of their title due to improper recruiting practices. Auburn finished the season ranked No. 2 in the final AP and Coaches polls. The Tigers were recognized as national champions by various polling organizations, including FansPoll and Golf Digest. Tuberville came under much criticism during the 2008 season for his lackluster performance and coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Tony Franklin, whom he fired after a shocking 14–13 loss to Vanderbilt in October. At that time, the team was 4–2. Auburn finished the year with a 5–7 record, after a disappointing 36–0 loss to rival Alabama in the Iron Bowl, marking the Tide's first victory over Auburn in Tuscaloosa and snapping Auburn's six-year winning streak. Tuberville voluntarily resigned the following week, stating that he would take a year off from coaching. Over ten seasons, Tuberville compiled an 85–40 record at Auburn, while winning one conference championship, five division championships, and completing Auburn's sixth perfect season in school history.

Gene Chizik era (2009–2012)

Coach Chizik

On December 13, 2008, Athletic Director Jay Jacobs announced Gene Chizik, former Auburn defensive coordinator and then Iowa State head coach, as the new Auburn head coach. He received early criticism for his 5–19 record during his time at Iowa State during 2007 and 2008. He quickly began forming his new coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, who had coached the nation's top offense at Tulsa for the previous two seasons. During his first season, Auburn finished with a 7–5 record, and defeated Northwestern 38–35 in the Outback Bowl, its first bowl game since 2007.

Following the 2009 season, Chizik and his staff recruited a top-5 recruiting class, highlighted by junior college transfer quarterback Cam Newton and running back Mike Dyer. Auburn's 2010 "A-Day" spring scrimmage drew a crowd of 63,217 fans to Jordan–Hare Stadium, setting a new spring game attendance record. Auburn, led by quarterback Cam Newton, running back Mike Dyer, and defensive tackle Nick Fairley, completed the regular season with a perfect 12–0 record, highlighted by a comeback victory over Alabama. The Tide led Auburn 24–0 in the first half, only to lose the game in the second half, 28–27. It was the largest lead ever blown by Alabama in Tuscaloosa and the largest ever comeback through the 75-year history of the game. Auburn went on to defeat South Carolina 56–17 in the SEC Championship Game, which secured a spot in the BCS National Championship Game. This would be the first BCS bowl game appearance for Auburn since 2004, when the Tigers were left out of the national championship picture. Cam Newton became the third Heisman Trophy winner in school history, while also winning the AP Player of the Year Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O'Brien Award, the Manning Award, and the Maxwell Award. Nick Fairley became the second Auburn player in school history to win the Lombardi Award. Auburn faced the Oregon Ducks on January 10, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona, which ended with a 22–19 Auburn victory, secured by a game-winning field goal kick by senior Wes Byrum, who also kicked the game-winning field goals against Clemson and Kentucky during the regular season. Auburn finished the season with a perfect 14–0 record, and its first consensus national championship since 1957. Auburn celebrated their national championship with a special ceremony at Jordan–Hare Stadium two weeks following the championship game in Arizona. The coaches and players were honored, along with players from the 1957, 1993, and 2004 undefeated teams. The event drew over 78,000 fans, covering Jordan–Hare Stadium lower decks, spilling into both upper decks. A special "reverse" Tiger Walk and special rolling of Toomer's Corner also took place. After settling down from the magical 2010 season, Chizik and his staff began preparing to defend their national title.

Auburn opened the 2011 season with dramatic wins against Utah State and Mississippi State. Auburn then fell to eventual ACC Champion Clemson on the road in Death Valley, which snapped Auburn's 17-game winning streak, which began on January 1, 2010, vs. Northwestern in Outback Bowl. The Tigers would go on to complete the regular season with a 7–5 record and ranked no. 25 in the final BCS poll, with wins against Florida Atlantic, no. 9 South Carolina, Florida, Ole Miss, and Samford. Auburn fell to Arkansas, LSU (SEC Champions), Georgia (eastern division champion), and arch-rival Alabama (National Champions). The Tigers won their 37th bowl appearance by a score of 43–24 over the Virginia Cavaliers in the 2011 Chick-fil-A Bowl on December 31, 2011. This would be Gus Malzahn's final game as offensive coordinator for Auburn before becoming head coach at Arkansas State. Defensive coordinator Ted Roof would also depart following the 2011 season, leaving for UCF.

Following a 3–9 (0–8 in conference play) season in 2012, the program's worst season in 60 years, Chizik was terminated as head football coach. In addition to the remarkably poor 2012 season, mounting player disciplinary issues and the lack of on-field success delivered from several consecutive highly rated recruiting classes contributed to Chizik's firing. Over his four season tenure as head coach at Auburn, Chizik compiled an overall record of 33–19 (15–17 in conference play), delivering one SEC Championship and a National Championship in 2010 and three consecutive bowl wins from 2009 to 2011 before not qualifying for a bowl in 2012.

Gus Malzahn era (2013–present)

After Gene Chizik's termination at the end of the 2012 season, Athletic Director Jay Jacobs would form a search committee headed by former Auburn Heisman Trophy winners Bo Jackson and Pat Sullivan along with fellow former player Mac Crawford to find the program's next head coach. The committee would go on to unanimously select Arkansas State head coach and former Auburn offensive coordinator from 2009 to 2011 Gus Malzahn. On December 4, 2012 it was officially announced that Malzahn would assume the position of head coach at Auburn University. He is currently in his first season, and has his 2013 Tigers 12–1 and has won the SEC Championship versus the Missouri Tigers. The season was highlighted by two of the greatest plays in Auburn football history. After allowing #25 Georgia to take a 38–37 lead with less than two minutes remaining, quarterback Nick Marshall threw a 73-yard Hail Mary pass to Ricardo Louis for the game-winning touchdown after being tipped up by two Georgia defenders. The Tigers would put the game away in the final 25 seconds and win 43–38 over the Bulldogs. Auburn also defeated #1 Alabama in dramatic fashion. After lobbying for one second to be restored to the game clock in the fourth quarter, tied 28–28 with the Tigers, Alabama head coach Nick Saban chose to attempt a 57-yard game-winning field goal. The Tide was 0–3 in field goal attempts on the day with veteran kicker Cade Foster, thus chose to use Adam Griffith for the final attempt. Griffith's kick did not have the distance and the ball landed in the hands of Chris Davis, who would return the ball unofficially 109 yards endzone to endzone for an Auburn touchdown and seal a victory for the Tigers along with a berth in the SEC Championship Game. Auburn would face #5 Missouri in the 2013 SEC Championship Game, eventually winning 59–42 in an offensive showdown which produced 677 total yards for Auburn, including a 304-yard performance by game MVP Tre Mason. The Tigers faced #1 Florida State in the 2014 BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 6, 2014. They lost by a score of 34-31, as Florida State scored the go-ahead touchdown with thirteen seconds remaining in the game. The Tigers finished #2 in both the final AP and Coaches polls.

Recent history

Main article: List of Auburn Tigers football seasons

While Auburn football has a long and storied history, the Tigers have had uneven success in recent years. Since the expansion of the SEC in 1992, Auburn has the fourth highest win percentage in SEC West league play (58.7%), behind Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M, respectively. At of the end of the 2012 season, Auburn teams had won 45 of their last 74 conference match-ups, including 20 of the last 36 SEC away games. When facing their greatest challenge, Auburn teams have won 12 of their last 25 match-ups versus top-10 opponents. The Tigers did well at Jordan–Hare Stadium at night between 2000 and 2009, when they won 24 of 29. Over the past five seasons, Auburn has won 38 out of 64 total games, ranking 41st nationally in winning percentage (59.4%).

2013 season

Main article: 2013 Auburn Tigers football team

Following an abysmal 3-9 season in 2012, Auburn was poised to begin a "new day" under the leadership of head coach Gus Malzahn in 2013. The Tigers were picked to finished fifth in the SEC West, and received no votes in any preseason polls. Auburn would go on to complete what has been coined as the greatest turnaround in college football history, finishing the regular season with an 11-1 record. The only loss came against #6 LSU in a night game at Tiger Stadium, where the Tigers would suffer a 21-35 defeat. The season is best known for Auburn's stellar finishes against rivals Georgia and Alabama, dubbed The Prayer at Jordan-Hare and Kick Bama Kick respectively. Auburn would go on to defeat #5 Missouri 59-42 in the 2013 SEC Championship Game and claim its third conference championship in ten years, the most of any SEC program during that time period. Auburn's offense was anchored by an unstoppable rushing attack under the leadership of running back and Heisman Trophy finalist Tre Mason, who rushed for 1,816 total yards, surpassing Bo Jackson's single-season record of 1,786 yards. Auburn would ultimately face #1 Florida State in the Rose Bowl for the 2014 BCS National Championship Game, falling to the Seminoles in the final seconds, 31-34. Auburn finished the season ranked #2 in both the AP and Coaches final polls after completing a 12-2 turnaround season, which marked its second SEC title and BCS Championship appearance in four years.

Historical ranking

Auburn has the 13th most wins in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. In terms of winning percentage, Auburn ranks as the 9th most successful team in the past 25 years with a 71% win rate (213–86–5) and 9th over the last half century (1955–2010) with 69%. Of the 93 current I-A football programs that been active since Auburn first fielded a team 116 years ago, Auburn ranks 14th in winning percentage over that period.

The College Football Research Center lists Auburn as the 14th best college football program in history, with eight Auburn squads listed in Billingsley's Top 200 Teams of All Time (1869–2010). After the 2008 season, ESPN ranked Auburn the 21st most prestigious program in history.

The Associated Press poll statistics show Auburn with the 11th best national record of being ranked in the final AP Poll and 14th overall (ranked 503 times out of 1058 polls since the poll began in 1936), with an average ranking of 11.2. Since the Coaches Poll first released a final poll in 1950, Auburn has 26 seasons where the team finished ranked in the top 20 in both the AP and Coaches Polls.

Heisman links

Three Auburn players, Pat Sullivan in 1971, Bo Jackson in 1985, and Cam Newton in 2010, have won the Heisman Trophy. The Trophy's namesake, John Heisman, coached at Auburn from 1895 until 1899. Of the eight schools of which Heisman coached (among others, Georgia Tech and Clemson), Auburn is the only school that has produced a Heisman Trophy winner. The Auburn athletic department has announced that it will honor the school's three Heisman winners with statues, along with a bust of coach John Heisman, outside the east side of Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Team championships

National championships

The AP Poll did not begin selecting a champion until 1936 nor the AFCA Coaches Poll until 1950. Nine Auburn teams have been awarded some form of "National Champions" title, though only five are recognized by the NCAA and currently claimed by the University—1913, 1957, 1983, 1993, and 2010. The 1957 title, awarded by the Associated Press, and the undisputed national championship in 2010 are considered consensus titles in the modern era.

Year	Coach	Selector	Record	Notes
1913	Mike Donahue	Various	8-0	SIAA Champions
1957	Ralph "Shug" Jordan	AP	10-0	SEC Champions
1983	Pat Dye	Various	11-1	SEC Champions, Won Sugar Bowl
1993	Terry Bowden	Various	11-0	†
2010	Gene Chizik	AP, Coaches, BCS	14-0	SEC Champions, Won BCS Title Game
National Championships			5
† Auburn was ineligible for a postseason bowl game and the 1993 SEC Championship Game

1983 season

Main article: 1983 Auburn Tigers football team

The 1983 Auburn Tigers, led by head coach Pat Dye and running back Bo Jackson, finished 11–1 after playing the nation's toughest schedule. Their only loss came against #3 Texas, who defeated the Tigers, 20–7. Auburn went on to defeat #8 Michigan, 9–7, in the Sugar Bowl. Despite entering the bowl games ranked third in both major polls, and with both teams ranked higher losing their bowl games, the Tigers ended ranked third in the final AP poll. Auburn received 21 polls to Miami's 14. The NCAA records book credits Auburn with a national championship, citing selectors such as Billingsley Report and the New York Times.

1993 season

Main article: 1993 Auburn Tigers football team

Head coach Terry Bowden led the 1993 team to a perfect season in his first year on the Plains. The Tigers were the only undefeated team in major college football, however were banned from playing on television or post-season games due to NCAA violations. Rival Alabama was sent to the SEC Championship Game as the substitute representative of the Western Division. Auburn finished ranked fourth in the nation by the Associated Press but was named a co-National Champion by the National Championship Foundation along with Florida State, Nebraska and Notre Dame.

2010 season

Main article: 2010 Auburn Tigers football team

The Tigers, led by second year head coach Gene Chizik, completed a 12–0 regular season record and defeated South Carolina in the 2010 SEC Championship Game. On October 24, 2010, Auburn was ranked first in the BCS polls for the first time in school history. On January 10, 2011, Auburn defeated Oregon in the BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona, 22–19, to win the first undisputed national championship in school history, and their fifth overall. Their quarterback, Cam Newton, became a Heisman Trophy winner. He had a total of 2,854 yards passing and 30 passing touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Unclaimed championships

In addition to the 5 national championships recognized by Auburn and the NCAA records book, there have been 4 seasons in which at least one selector has named Auburn as national champions:

• 1910, 1914, 1958, 2004

Undefeated seasons

Since its beginnings in 1892, Auburn has completed fourteen undefeated seasons. This includes seven (7) perfect seasons in which the Tigers were undefeated and untied:

• 1900, 1904, 1913, 1957, 1993, 2004, 2010

2004 season

Main article: 2004 Auburn Tigers football team

The Auburn Tigers ended the 2004 season undefeated, but were left out of the BCS title game because they ranked third in the final BCS rankings. That left undefeated USC and Oklahoma (ranked No. 1 and No. 2 respectively) to play in the Orange Bowl for the National Championship. Auburn went on to win the Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech. The team finished No. 2 in both the final AP Poll and USA Today Coaches Poll, following Oklahoma's loss in the National Championship game to the University of Southern California (USC). USC was later stripped of the National Championship for violating NCAA rules in 2010, though 2004 BCS Championship remains vacated.

Conference championships

Auburn officially recognizes that it has won outright or a share of 12 total conference championships, including 3 SIAA Championships, 1 Southern Conference Championship, and 8 SEC Championships.

Conference affiliations:

• 1892–1894, Independent
• 1895–1920, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
• 1921–1932, Southern Conference
• 1933–present, Southeastern Conference

Year	Conference	Coach	Overall Record	Conference Record
1913	SIAA	Mike Donahue	9–0	8–0
1914†	SIAA	Mike Donahue	8–0–1	5–0–1
1919	SIAA	Mike Donahue	8–1	5–1
1932†	Southern	Chet A. Wynne	9–0–1	6–0–1
1957	SEC	Ralph "Shug" Jordan	10–0	7–0
1983	SEC	Pat Dye	11–1	6–0
1987	SEC	Pat Dye	9–1–2	6–0–1
1988†	SEC	Pat Dye	10–2	6–1
1989†	SEC	Pat Dye	10–2	6–1
2004	SEC	Tommy Tuberville	13–0	8–0
2010	SEC	Gene Chizik	14–0	8–0
2013	SEC	Gus Malzahn	12–2	7–1
Total Conference Championships:			12 (3 SIAA, 1 Southern, 8 SEC)
† Denotes co-champions

Additional championships

During Auburn's time in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA), three teams tied for a share of the conference championship, though they are not officially recognized by the University:

• 1900, 1904, 1910

Divisional championships

Since divisional play began in 1992, Auburn has won the SEC Western Division championship and gone on to the conference title game on 5 occasions and is 3–2 in the SEC Championship Game. The most recent appearance came in 2013, as Auburn completed the regular season 11–1, and defeated Missouri, 59–42, in the 2013 SEC Championship Game. Auburn has also shared the western division title, but did not play in the championship game due to tiebreakers on 3 occasions. Auburn also finished the 1993 season in first place in the division but was not eligible for the division title.

Year	Division	Coach	Overall Record	Conference Record	SEC Championship Game Result
1997†	SEC West	Terry Bowden	10–3	6–2	#11 Auburn 29, #3 Tennessee 30
2000	SEC West	Tommy Tuberville	9–4	6–2	#18 Auburn 6, #7 Florida 28
2001†	SEC West	Tommy Tuberville	7–5	5–3	LSU won divisional tiebreaker
2002†	SEC West	Tommy Tuberville	9–4	5–3	Arkansas won divisional tiebreaker
2004	SEC West	Tommy Tuberville	13–0	8–0	#3 Auburn 38, #15 Tennessee 28
2005†	SEC West	Tommy Tuberville	9–3	7–1	LSU won divisional tiebreaker
2010	SEC West	Gene Chizik	14–0	8–0	#1 Auburn 56, #19 South Carolina 17
2013†	SEC West	Gus Malzahn	12-2	7–1	#3 Auburn 59, #5 Missouri 42
Division Championships			8
† Denotes co-champions

Rivalries

Auburn maintains annual rivalry games with SEC foes LSU, Georgia, and Alabama. The Tigers have played Georgia 117 times in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, the most of any opponent. Auburn's primary rivalry game is the Iron Bowl against Alabama, a series led by the Tigers 18-14 in games played since 1982. Rivalries with Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Tulane were more prominent during Auburn's membership in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Southern Conference, and the early days of the Southeastern Conference. Auburn is 385–316–35 all-time in significant rivalry games.

Primary Auburn Football Rivalries: All-Time Records

Name of Rivalry	Rival	Games Played	First Meeting	Last Meeting	Record	Streak	Latest win
Iron Bowl	Alabama	78	1893	2013	35–42–1	1 win	2013, 34–28
Deep South's Oldest Rivalry	Georgia	117	1892	2013	55–54–8	1 win	2013, 43–38
The Tiger Bowl	LSU	48	1901	2013	20–27–1	3 losses	2010, 24–17
Auburn–Florida	Florida	83	1912	2011	43–38–2	3 wins	2011, 17–6
Auburn–Georgia Tech	Georgia Tech	92	1892	2005	47–41–4	2 losses	1987, 20–10
Auburn–Tennessee	Tennessee	52	1900	2013	28–21–3	6 wins	2013, 55–23
Auburn–Tulane	Tulane	37	1902	2006	14–17–6	1 win	2006, 38–13
Auburn–Clemson	Clemson	49	1899	2012	34–13–2	2 losses	2010, 27–24
Auburn–Florida State	Florida State	19	1954	2014	13–5–1	1 loss	1990, 20–17
Totals		721			385–316–35

Traditions

Tiger Walk

Before each Auburn home football game, thousands of Auburn fans line Donahue Drive to cheer on the team as they walk from the Auburn Athletic Complex to Jordan–Hare Stadium. The tradition began in the 1950s when groups of kids would walk up the street to greet the team and get autographs. During the tenure of coach Doug Barfield, the coach urged fans to come out and support the team, and thousands did. Today the team walks down the hill and into the stadium surrounded by fans who pat them on the back and shake their hands as they walk. The largest Tiger Walk occurred on December 2, 1989, before the first ever home football game against rival Alabama—the Iron Bowl. On that day, an estimated 20,000 fans packed the one block section of road leading to the stadium. According to former athletic director David Housel, Tiger Walk has become "the most copied tradition in all of college football".

"War Eagle"

Nova, "War Eagle VII"

Main article: War Eagle

There are many stories surrounding the origins of Auburn's battle cry, "War Eagle". The most popular account involves the first Auburn football game in 1892 between Auburn and the University of Georgia. According to the story, in the stands that day was an old Civil War soldier with an eagle that he had found injured on a battlefield and kept as a pet. The eagle broke free and began to soar over the field, and Auburn began to march toward the Georgia end-zone. The crowd began to chant, "War Eagle" as the eagle soared. After Auburn won the game, the eagle crashed to the field and died but, according to the legend, his spirit lives on every time an Auburn man or woman yells "War Eagle!" The battle cry of "War Eagle" also functions as a greeting for those associated with the University. For many years, a live golden eagle has embodied the spirit of this tradition. The eagle was once housed on campus in The A. Elwyn Hamer Jr. Aviary (which was the second largest single-bird enclosure in the country), but the aviary was taken down in 2003 and the eagle moved to a nearby raptor center. The eagle, War Eagle VI (nicknamed "Tiger"), was trained in 2000 to fly free around the stadium before every home game to the delight of fans. The present eagle, War Eagle VII (nicknamed "Nova"), continues the tradition. War Eagle VI is believed to be the inspiration behind the 2005–2006 Auburn Cheerleading squad's chant, "Tigers, Tigers, Gooooooo Tigers!"

Toomer's Corner

The intersection of Magnolia and College streets in Auburn, which marks the transition from downtown Auburn to the university campus, is known as Toomer's Corner. It is named after Toomer's Drugs, a small store on the corner that has been an Auburn landmark since 1896. Hanging over the corner were two massive old oak trees, planted in 1937, and whenever there was cause for celebration in the Auburn community, toilet paper could usually be found hanging from the trees. Also known as "rolling the corner," this tradition was thought to have originated in the 1970s and until the mid-1990s was relegated to only to celebrating athletic wins.

The oak trees were cut down by the university in April, 2013, as a result of them being poisoned by Harvey Updyke Jr., a fan of rival Alabama.

Wreck Tech Pajama Parade

The Wreck Tech Pajama Parade originated in the 1930s, when a group of mischievous Auburn ROTC cadets, determined to show up the more well-known engineers from Georgia Tech, sneaked out of their dorms the night before the football game between Auburn and Tech and greased the railroad tracks. According to the story, the train carrying the Georgia Tech team slid through town and didn't stop until it was halfway to the neighboring town of Loachapoka, Alabama. The Georgia Tech team was forced to walk the five miles back to Auburn and, not surprisingly, were rather weary at the end of their journey. This likely contributed to their 45–0 loss. While the railroad long ago ceased to be the way teams traveled to Auburn and students never greased the tracks again, the tradition continues in the form of a parade through downtown Auburn. Students parade through the streets in their pajamas and organizations build floats.

Current Coaching Staff

Name	Position	Alma mater	Year Entering
Gus Malzahn	Head Coach	Henderson State	1st
Rodney Garner	Associate Head Coach/Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator	Auburn	1st
Rhett Lashlee	Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks	Arkansas	1st
Dameyune Craig	Wide Receivers/Co-Offensive Coordinator	Auburn	1st
Ellis Johnson	Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers	The Citadel	1st
Charlie Harbison	Safeties/Co-Defensive Coordinator	Gardner-Webb	1st
Scott Fountain	Tight Ends/Special teams Coordinator	Samford	1st
Tim Horton	Running Back	Arkansas	1st
J.B. Grimes	Offensive line	Henderson State	1st
Melvin Smith	Cornerbacks	Millsaps College	1st
Ryan Russell	Head Strength and Conditioning Coach	Auburn	1st

Recruiting

Auburn Tigers Football Scout.com team recruiting rankings:

Class	Scout.com Rank	Commits	Top Commit
2013	14	23	Montravius Adams
2012	8	21	Avery Young
2011	2	25	Christian Westerman
2010	6	32	Michael Dyer
2009	16	27	Eltoro Freeman
2008	18	28	Raven Gray
2007	6	30	Kodi Burns
2006	9	25	Bart Eddins
2005	22	21	Tray Blackmon
2004	31	27	Leon Hart
2003	16	25	Brandon Jacobs
2002	11	28	Brandon Cox

Head coaches

Main article: List of Auburn Tigers head football coaches

Auburn has had 25 head coaches, and 1 interim head coach, since it began play during the 1892 season. From 2008 to 2012, Gene Chizik has served as Auburn's head coach. The team has played more than 1,150 games over 119 seasons. In that time, seven coaches have led the Tigers in postseason bowl games: Jack Meagher, Ralph Jordan, Pat Dye, Terry Bowden, Tommy Tuberville, Gene Chizik, and Gus Malzhan. Billy Watkins, Mike Donahue, Chet A. Wynne, Jordan, Dye, Tuberville, Chizik, and Malzhan won a combined twelve conference championships. During their tenures, Jordan and Chizik each won national championships with the Tigers.

Award winners

A number of Auburn players and coaches have won national awards, including 66 players being named as college football All-Americans. The Tigers also have eleven coaches and players that have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana.

Retired numbers

The Tigers have retired three numbers to date, honoring the following players:

Auburn Tigers retired numbers
No.	Player	Position	Tenure
7	Pat Sullivan	QB	1969–71
88	Terry Beasley	WR	1969–71
34	Bo Jackson	RB	1982–85

While Cam Newton's number 2 is not officially retired, the number has not been worn by any Auburn player since Newton wore it in 2010.

Hall of Fame

Players Year Inducted	Coaches Year Inducted
1954 – Jimmy Hitchcock 1956 – Walter Gilbert 1991 – Pat Sullivan 1994 – Tucker Frederickson 1998 – Bo Jackson 2002 – Terry Beasley 2004 – Tracy Rocker 2009 – Ed Dyas	1951 – "Iron Mike" Donahue 1954 – John Heisman 1982 – Ralph "Shug" Jordan 2005 – Pat Dye

National awards

Players

Heisman Trophy Best player	Walter Camp Award Best player	Maxwell Award Best player
1971 – Pat Sullivan, QB 1985 – Bo Jackson, RB 2010 – Cam Newton,QB	1971 – Pat Sullivan, QB 1985 – Bo Jackson, RB 2010 – Cam Newton,QB	2010 – Cam Newton,QB

Davey O'Brien Award Best quarterback	Manning Award Best quarterback	Outland Trophy Best interior lineman	Lombardi Award Best lineman/linebacker	Jim Thorpe Award Best defensive back
2010 – Cam Newton	2010 – Cam Newton	1958 – Zeke Smith,G 1988 – Tracy Rocker, DT	1988 – Tracy Rocker, DT 2010 – Nick Fairley, DT	2004 – Carlos Rogers, CB

Coaches

Paul "Bear" Bryant Award Coach of the Year	Eddie Robinson Award Coach of the Year	Sporting News Award Coach of the Year	Home Depot Award Coach of the Year	Bowden Award Coach of the Year	Broyles Award Best assistant coach
1993 – Terry Bowden 2004 – Tommy Tuberville 2010 – Gene Chizik 2013 – Gus Malzahn	1993 – Terry Bowden 2013 – Gus Malzahn	1993 – Terry Bowden 2004 – Tommy Tuberville 2013 – Gus Malzahn	2010 – Gene Chizik 2013 – Gus Malzahn	2010 – Gene Chizik 2013 – Gus Malzahn	2004 – Gene Chizik 2010 – Gus Malzahn

All-Americans

Name	Position	Years	Source
Jimmy Hitchcock	HB	1932	WCFF
Walter Gilbert	C	1933–1936
Monk Gafford	RB	1942
Caleb "Tex" Warrington	C	1944	FWAA, WCFF
Travis Tidwell	RB	1949	Williamson
Jim Pyburn	WR	1954
Joe Childress	RB	1955	FWAA
Frank D'Agostino	T	1955	AFCA
Fob James	RB	1955	INS
Jimmy Phillips	DE	1957	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Zeke Smith	OG	1958–1959	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Jackie Burkett	C	1958	AFCA
Ken Rice	OT	1959–1960	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Ed Dyas	RB	1960	FWAA
Jimmy Sidle	RB	1963	FWAA
Tucker Frederickson	RB	1964	FWAA, WCFF
Jack Thornton	DT	1965	NEA
Bill Cody	LB
Freddie Hyatt	WR	1967	TFN
David Campbell	DT	1968	NEA
Buddy McClinton	DB	1969	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Larry Willingham	DB	1970	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Pat Sullivan	QB	1971	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Terry Beasley	WR	1971	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Mike Fuller	S	1974
Ken Bernich	LB	1974	AFCA, WCFF
Neil O'Donoghue	PK	1976	TFN
Keith Uecker	OG	1981	Mizlou
Bob Harris	SS
David King	CB
Donnie Humphrey	DT	1983	WTBS
Gregg Carr	LB	1984	AFCA, WCFF
Bo Jackson	RB	1983, 1985	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Lewis Colbert	P	1985	AFCA
Ben Tamburello	C	1986	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Brent Fullwood	RB	1986	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Aundray Bruce	LB	1987	AFCA, WCFF
Kurt Crain	LB	1987	AP
Stacy Searels	OT	1987	AP, TFN
Tracy Rocker	DT	1987–1988	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Walter Reeves	TE	1988	TSN
Benji Roland	DT
Ed King	OG	1989–1990	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Craig Ogletree	LB	1989	TSN
David Rocker	DT	1990	AFCA, WCFF
Wayne Gandy	OT	1993	AP, FWAA, SH
Terry Daniel	P	1993	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Brian Robinson	SS
Frank Sanders	WR	1994	AP, FWAA, SH
Chris Shelling	SS	1994	FWAA, SH
Victor Riley	OT	1997	AFCA
Takeo Spikes	LB	1997	TSN
Damon Duval	PK	2001	AFCA, WCFF
Karlos Dansby	LB	2003	AFCA
Marcus McNeill	OT	2004–2005	AP, CBS, FWAA, SI, Rivals, CFN, WCFF
Carlos Rogers	CB	2004	AP, FWAA, WCFF
Junior Rosegreen	SS	2004	SI, CBS
Carnell Williams	RB	2004	AFCA
Kenny Irons	RB	2005	Rivals
Tim Duckworth	OG	2006	Rivals
Quentin Groves	DE	2006	Rivals
Ben Grubbs	OG	2006	Rivals, ESPN, PFW
David Irons	CB	2006	Rivals
Cam Newton	QB	2010	AFCA, AP, Rivals, SI, WCFF
Lee Ziemba	OT	2010	AFCA, FWAA, SI, WCFF
Nick Fairley	DT	2010	AP, FWAA, Rivals, SI, WCFF
Steven Clark	P	2011	AP, SI, Rivals
Tre Mason	RB	2013	Sporting News
Chris Davis	PR	2013	Sporting News

Tigers in the NFL

Ronnie Brown was the#2 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft

There have been 245 Auburn players drafted into the National Football League, with 15 earning 30 All-Pro honors, 27 making Pro Bowl appearances, and 23 playing in the Super Bowl.

The Dow Jones College-Football Success Index ranked Auburn as the eighth best program in the nation, with the second highest Draft Value which indicate "that a school's players perform better than NFL scouts seem to expect". Auburn is tied (with Miami) for second most Top 5 NFL Draft picks this decade, and The Plains have produced 25 first round draft picks overall.

"Running Back U"

Cadillac Williams evades a tackler.

Auburn has several former running backs currently playing that position in the NFL (see below). They carry on a long legacy of top NFL backs from Auburn such as Tucker Frederickson, William Andrews, Joe Cribbs, James Brooks, Rudi Johnson, Tre Mason, Stephen Davis, Onterio McCalebb, James Bostic, Brandon Jacobs, Lionel James, Brent Fullwood, Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown, Heath Evans, Kenny Irons, Ben Tate, Fred Beasley,Kevin McCleod, Tony Richardson, Tommie Agee and Bo Jackson. Over the years 1987–2014, there have been 18 Tiger running backs drafted into the NFL, with several more successfully signing as undrafted free-agents.

Current NFL players

Name	Position	Team
Daren Bates	LB	St.Louis Rams
Emory Blake	WR	St.Louis Rams
Ronnie Brown	RB	San Diego Chargers
Josh Bynes	LB	Baltimore Ravens
Jason Campbell	QB	Cincinnati Bengals
Steven Clark	P	Denver Broncos
Karlos Dansby	LB	Arizona Cardinals
Chris Davis	DB	San Diego Chargers
King Dunlap	OT	Cleveland Browns
Nosa Egaue	DE	Atlanta Falcons
Nick Fairley	DT	Detroit Lions
Dee Ford	LB	Kansas City Chiefs
Tyronne Green	OG	New England Patriots
Quentin Groves	LB	Cleveland Browns
Ben Grubbs	OG	New Orleans Saints
Josh Harris	LS	Atlanta Falcons
Corey Lemonier	LB	San Francisco 49ers
Senderrick Marks	DT	Jacksonville Jaguars
Tre Mason	RB	St.Louis Rams
Onterio McCalebb	DB	Cincinnati Bengals
Brandon Mosley	OT	New York Giants
Cam Newton	QB	Carolina Panthers
Cody Parkey	K	Indianapolis Colts
Jerraud Powers	DB	Arizona Cardinals
Jay Prosch	FB	Houston Texans
Jeremiah Ratliff	DT	Chicago Bears
Greg Robinson	OT	St.Louis Rams
Carlos Rogers	DB	Oakland Raiders
Pat Sims	DT	Oakland Raiders
Ryan Smith	S	Dallas Cowboys
Ben Tate	RB	Cleveland Browns
Ryan White	S	Greenbay Packers

2014 NFL Draft

Name	Position	Round Pick
Greg Robinson	OT	Rd 1 Pick 2
Dee Ford	LB	Rd 1 Pick 23
Tre Mason	RB	Rd 3 Pick 75
Jay Prosch	FB	Rd 6 Pick 222

Hall of Fame

Main article: Pro Football Hall of Fame

Name	Position	Inducted
Frank Gatski	C	1985

The Iron Bowl

The Iron Bowl is played annually on Thanksgiving weekend between Auburn and Alabama, and is widely reckoned as one of the most (if not the most) bitter rivalries in college football. The game was first played from 1893 to 1906 but was suspended for 42 years. The game resumed in 1949 and the rivalry has blossomed into one of the biggest games of the year. The winners of the past 5 Iron Bowls have gone on to play in and win the BCS national championship. While Alabama leads the overall series 42-35–1, Auburn has won nine out of 14 meetings since it became a home-and-home series in 2000.

Bowl history

Auburn football teams have been invited to participate in 38 total bowls and have garnered a record of 22–13–2. Auburn ranks as one of the best programs in the nation in success in bowl games. Auburn ranks 16th in all-time bowl appearances with 37, 10th in all-time bowl wins with 22, and 5th in all-time bowl win percentage (minimum of 20 games) at .622. Most recently, Auburn defeated the Virginia Cavaliers in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, 43–24, on December 31, 2011. Auburn faced #1 Florida State in the 2014 BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 6, 2014. They lost by a score of 34-31. It was the Tigers' second BCS Championship appearance in four years.

W/L	Date	PF	Opponent	PA	Bowl
T	01-01-1937	7	Villanova	7	Bacardi Bowl
W	01-01-1938	6	Michigan State	0	Orange Bowl
L	01-01-1954	13	Texas Tech	35	Gator Bowl
W	12-31-1954	33	Baylor	13	Gator Bowl
L	12-31-1955	13	Vanderbilt	25	Gator Bowl
L	01-01-1964	7	Nebraska	13	Orange Bowl
L	12-18-1965	7	Mississippi	13	Liberty Bowl
W	12-28-1968	34	Arizona	10	Sun Bowl
L	12-31-1969	7	Houston	36	Bluebonnet Bowl
W	01-02-1971	35	Mississippi	28	Gator Bowl
L	01-01-1972	22	Oklahoma	40	Sugar Bowl
W	12-30-1972	24	Colorado	3	Gator Bowl
L	12-29-1973	17	Missouri	34	Sun Bowl
W	12-30-1974	27	Texas	3	Gator Bowl
W	12-18-1982	33	Boston College	26	Tangerine Bowl
W	01-02-1984	9	Michigan	7	Sugar Bowl
W	12-27-1984	21	Arkansas	15	Liberty Bowl
L	01-01-1986	16	Texas A&M	36	Cotton Bowl Classic
W	01-01-1987	16	Southern California	7	Florida Citrus Bowl
T	01-01-1988	16	Syracuse	16	Sugar Bowl
L	01-02-1989	7	Florida State	13	Sugar Bowl
W	01-01-1990	31	Ohio State	14	Hall of Fame Bowl
W	12-29-1990	27	Indiana	23	Peach Bowl
L	01-01-1996	14	Penn State	43	Outback Bowl
W	12-31-1996	32	Army	29	Independence Bowl
W	01-02-1998	21	Clemson	17	Peach Bowl
L	01-01-2001	28	Michigan	31	Florida Citrus Bowl
L	12-31-2001	10	North Carolina	16	Peach Bowl
W	01-01-2003	13	Penn State	9	Capital One Bowl
W	12-31-2003	28	Wisconsin	14	Music City Bowl
W	01-03-2005	16	Virginia Tech	13	Sugar Bowl
L	01-02-2006	10	Wisconsin	24	Capital One Bowl
W	01-01-2007	17	Nebraska	14	Cotton Bowl Classic
W	12-31-2007	23	Clemson	20	Chick-fil-A Bowl
W	01-01-2010	38	Northwestern	35	Outback Bowl
W	01-10-2011	22	Oregon	19	BCS National Championship Game
W	12-31-2011	43	Virginia	24	Chick-fil-A Bowl
L	01-06-2014	31	Florida State	34	BCS National Championship Game

Future schedules

Auburn is scheduled to play the following non-conference opponents in future seasons:

2014	2015
vs. San Jose State	vs. Louisville (Atlanta)
at Kansas State	vs. Jacksonville State
vs. Louisiana Tech	vs. Idaho
vs. Samford	vs. San Jose State

External links

• Official website