Auburn Tigers football

Auburn Tigers
2015 Auburn Tigers football team
First season	1892
Athletic director	Jay Jacobs
Head coach	Gus Malzahn 3rd year, 27–13 (.675)
Other staff	Rhett Lashlee, OC Kevin Steele, DC Travis Williams, Linebackers coach
Stadium	Jordan–Hare Stadium
Seating capacity	87,451
Location	Auburn, Alabama
NCAA division	NCAA Division I (FBS)
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Division	Western Division
All-time record	742–421–47 (.633)
Bowl record	23–15–2 (.600)
Playoff appearances	0
Claimed nat'l titles	2 (1957, 2010)
Unclaimed nat'l titles	7 (1910, 1913, 1914, 1958, 1983, 1993, 2004)
National finalist	2 (2010, 2013)
Conference titles	12 (3 SIAA, 1 Southern )
Division titles	8
Heisman winners	3
Consensus All-Americans	68
Current uniform
Colors	Navy Blue and Burnt Orange[1]
Fight song	War Eagle
Mascot	Aubie the Tiger
Marching band	Auburn University Marching Band
Outfitter	Under Armour
Primary Rivals	Alabama Crimson Tide Georgia Bulldogs LSU Tigers
Website	www.auburntigers.com/sports/m-footbl/

The Auburn Tigers football program represents Auburn University in the sport of American college football. Auburn competes 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 officially claims two national championships, but has been recognized with five national championships from NCAA documented selectors. Auburn has achieved twelve undefeated seasons and won twelve conference championships, along with eight divisional championships. The Tigers have made thirty-eight post season bowl appearances; including ten historically major bowl berths.^[2] 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 finishing in the top ten 18 times (ranked 12th nationally for 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. 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 Jordan, and Pat Dye. Ralph "Shug" Jordan, who coached from 1951 to 1975, led Auburn to its first national championship and 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, although Auburn and LSU did not play each other in every season until 1992. The Tigers are currently led by head coach Gus Malzahn.

History

Early history (1892–1903)

The team in 1893

Auburn was led by nine different coaches over a 12-year span. The organization of Auburn's first football team is credited to George Petrie, who led the 1892 Tigers to a 2–2 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.

Petrie era (1892)

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 and Alabama played their first football game in Lakeview Park in Birmingham, Alabama, on February 22, 1893.

Bailliet and Harvey era (1893)

Head coach D. M. Balliet led Auburn to a 32–22 victory, before an estimated crowd of 5,000. It is the first recorded, intercollegiate football game in the state of Alabama. Alabama considered the game to be the final matchup of the 1892 season and Auburn recorded it as the first of 1893. G. H. Harvey coached the four games that Auburn played the following fall.

Hall era (1894)

The 1894 team was led by head coach Forrest M. Hall, in his first and only year as head coach of the Tigers. The team finished with a record of one win and three losses (1–3). While the team had a losing record, the squad has the distinction of achieving the largest win in Auburn history, defeating Georgia Tech 94–0.

Heisman era (1895–1899)

Heisman at Auburn

The most prominent coach of this early period is John Heisman, 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 very first conference membership came in 1895, when it joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). The 1895 team executed a "hidden ball trick" with quarterback Reynolds Tichenor in the game against Vanderbilt, as Auburn seemed to run a revolving wedge.^[3] Vanderbilt still won however, 9 to 6; the first time in the history of southern football that a field goal decided a game.^{[4][n 1]}

Auburn suffered its only loss to Pop Warner's champion Bulldogs in 1896.^{[n 2]} The 1897 team finished $700 in debt, and Heisman was the actor, director, and producer of David Garrick to raise the money.^[5] As such, he is founder of Auburn’s first theatrical group: The A.P.I. Dramatic Club. The 1898 team went 2–1 with its only loss to SIAA champion North Carolina.

In Heisman's opinion, the 1899 team was his best while at Auburn.^[6] Captained by Arthur Feagin, the squad is remembered as the only team to score on the legendary Sewanee Tigers team that went undefeated and beat Texas, Texas A&M, Tulane, LSU and Ole Miss over a 6-day span. Auburn lost their matchup to the "Iron Men" by a single point.

Watkins era (1900–1901)

The first undefeated season came in 1900, when the Tigers went 4–0 under coach Billy Watkins.

Kent and Harvey era (1902)

The 1902 Tigers were coached by two men that year: Robert Kent and M. S. Harvey. A little over halfway through the season, Kent stepped down after going 2–2–1. Harvey followed and in his only season as head coach went 0–2. The season featured Auburn's first All-Southern selection: the massive, 230 pound guard James C. Elmer.

Bates era (1903)

The 1903 team was coached by William Penn Bates^[7] in his only season as Auburn's head coach.

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.

Kienholz

Willis Kienholz coached the team temporarily. The 1907 season would mark the last time Auburn would play Alabama until 1948, after a 7–7 tie between the two rivals.

Donahue returns

The 1908 team was led by All-Southerns quarterback Tom McLure and halfback Lew Hardage. The Tigers lost to Hall of Famer Doc Fenton and undefeated LSU, but controversy surrounded LSU's season and Auburn also claimed a conference title. The 1910 team claimed a share of the conference championship with a 6–1 record, led by leading scorer and fullback Bradley Streit.

Kirk Newell

Donahue's peak came in the 1913 and 1914 seasons, without a single team crossing Auburn's goal through the line.^[8] The 1913 team, led by captain Kirk Newell,^{[n 3]} claimed Auburn's first outright conference championship with an 8–0 record.^{[n 4]} The 1914 Tigers posted all shutouts and also won a conference championship with an 8–0–1 record.^{[n 5]} Bull Kearley was a key feature of Donahue's 7–2–2 defense.

Baby Taylor

The 1915 team went 6–2, losing to both southern champions (Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech). Guard Baby Taylor was a unanimous All-Southern selection and a third-team All-American selection by Walter Camp. The 1917 team was very strong, including Moon Ducote as a standout, but lost 60 to 7 to the South's first national champion: Heisman's Georgia Tech Golden Tornado.

The Tigers would return to the top of the conference once again in 1919 with an 8–1 record. Fatty Warren ran for a 40-yard gain in the 14 to 7 victory over Georgia Tech,^[12] the game which netted the SIAA championship and gave Tech its first loss to an SIAA school in five years, since Auburn in 1914. It was Heisman's last game at Georgia Tech. Zelda Sayre sent All-Southern tackle Pete Bonner a telegram after the win, it read:^[13]

"Shooting a seven, aren’t we awfully proud of the boys, give them my love—knew we could."^{[n 6]}

The 1920 team outscored its opponents by a margin of 332–49, a then-school record for points, but was held scoreless in its two losses to the conference co-champions (Georgia and Georgia Tech). Auburn moved to the Southern Conference (SoCon) in 1922. The 1922 team is considered one of Auburn's greatest football teams.^{[n 7]} The Tigers upset defending Southern champion Centre. One year later, Donahue became the coach at LSU.

Boozer Pitts (1923–1924; 1927)

Boozer Pitts

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.

Dave Morey (1925–1926)

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 (1928–1929)

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 Wynne (1930–1933)

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. Jimmy Hitchcock was consensus All-American.

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)

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 1970 James Owens, a full back from Fairfield, Alabama became Auburn's first African American football player.^[16][17] He played for three seasons. He was followed in 1971 by Thom Gossom.

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 is 18–17 in Iron Bowl games.

Dye's tenure on the plains ended when Auburn was penalized for payments by boosters and assistant coaches to a player, Eric Ramsey. Tape recordings were released that implicated a booster named "Corky" Frost, and former Troy University head coach Larry Blakeney. The controversy landed the Auburn program a spot on 60 Minutes and an eventual NCAA investigation. While the investigation did not find Dye personally responsible for rules violations, the NCAA determined that as head coach and athletic director, Dye should have known about and stopped the payments to Ramsey. The fallout from the NCAA probation against the football team pushed Dye out as athletic director in 1991, and as head coach the following year.

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.^[18] 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.^[19] 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.^[20] 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.^[21] 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.^[22] 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 Michael 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.^[23] 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 formed 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 unanimously selected Arkansas State head coach and former Auburn offensive coordinator from 2009 to 2011 Gus Malzahn.^[24] On December 4, 2012, it was officially announced that Malzahn would assume the position of head coach at Auburn University.^[24] He is currently in his third season, and his 2013 Tigers went 12–2 and won the SEC Championship versus the Missouri Tigers. The season was highlighted by two of the greatest plays in Auburn football history. After allowing number 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 put the game away in the final 25 seconds and won 43–38 over the Bulldogs. Auburn also defeated number 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 returned the ball unofficially 109 yards end zone to end zone for an Auburn touchdown and sealed a victory for the Tigers along with a berth in the SEC Championship Game. Auburn would face number 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 number 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, ending the SEC streak of winning BCS national championships at seven. They were only the second SEC team to lose in a BCS championship game, and the only SEC team to do so against non-SEC competition. The Tigers finished number 2 in both the final AP and Coaches polls. Since the end of the 2013 season Malzahn's Auburn Tigers have compiled a record of 27–13 and 13-11 in SEC play. Auburn finished 8–5 in 2014, including a 34–31 loss to Wisconsin in the 2014 Outback Bowl.^[25] Before the 2015 season, Auburn was ranked number six and was supposed to be in the mix for the College Football Playoff but, after a almost upset by FCS Jacksonville State and an embarrassing loss at thirteen ranked LSU at the beginning of the season, those dreams were gone. Auburn compiled a 6–6 record, 2-6 in the SEC and a trip to the Birmingham Bowl to face Memphis. Auburn defeated Memphis 31–10 in front of a crowd of 59,430, to end its season with a 7–6 record. This season was considered the worst since the 2012 season when Auburn went 3-9 and 0-8 in SEC play. The upcoming 2016 season is a make it or break for Malzahn due to the past two seasons.

Recent history

The Auburn 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.^[26] 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. Auburn teams have won 12 of their last 25 match-ups versus top-10 opponents. The Tigers at Jordan–Hare Stadium at night between 2000 and 2009 won 24 of 29. Over the past five seasons, Auburn has won 38 out of 65 total games, ranking 41st nationally in winning percentage (59.4%).^[27]

2013 season

Following a 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 finish 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 number 6 LSU in a night game at Tiger Stadium, where the Tigers suffered a 21–35 defeat. The season is best known for Auburn's finishes against rivals Georgia and Alabama, dubbed The Prayer at Jordan-Hare and Kick Six respectively. Auburn would go on to defeat number 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 period. Auburn's offense was anchored by a 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 faced number 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 number 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.^[28] 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)^[29] and 9th over the last half century (1955–2010) with 69%.^[30] 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.^[31]

The College Football Research Center lists Auburn as the 14th best college football program in history,^[32] with eight Auburn squads listed in Billingsley's Top 200 Teams of All Time (1869–2010).^[33] The Bleacher Report placed Auburn as the 18th best program of all time in their power rankings conducted after the 2010 season.^[34] In 2013, College Football Data Warehouse, a website dedicated to the historical data of college football,^[35] listed Auburn 13th all-time.^[36] After the 2008 season, ESPN ranked Auburn the 21st most prestigious program in history.^[37]

The Associated Press poll statistics show Auburn with the 11th best national record of being ranked in the final AP Poll^[38] and 14th overall (ranked 503 times out of 1058 polls since the poll began in 1936), with an average ranking of 11.2.^[39] 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.^[40]

Auburn has also had success against teams ranked number one in the nation. The Tigers have beaten four teams ranked number one in the nation.

Year	Opponent	Result	Site
1942	vs. Georgia[41]	W 27–13	Columbus, GA
1994	vs. Florida	W 36–33	Gainesville, FL
2001	vs. Florida	W 23–20	Auburn, AL
2013	vs. Alabama	W 34–28	Auburn, AL

Heisman Winners

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.^[42]

Team championships

National championships

Five Auburn teams have been awarded a National Championship by an NCAA documented selector—1913, 1957, 1983, 1993, and 2010.^[43] However, only the 1957 title, awarded by the Associated Press,^[44] and the BCS National Championship in 2010 are claimed outright by the University. Four additional teams have also been named national champions by a minor selector, though none are recognized—1910, 1914, 1958, and 2004.

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

† in 1993 Auburn was ineligible for the SEC Championship Game and postseason bowl game.

1913 season

The 1913 team was coached by Mike Donahue and was undefeated at 8–0, outscoring opponents 224–13. Auburn, led by senior captain Kirk Newell, finished as SIAA champions for the first time in school history. Newell, also a member of the Upsilon Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha, went on to be a World War I hero and member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.^[45] The Tigers were retroactively awarded a national title by The Billingsley Report.

1957 season

The 1957 Auburn Tigers, led by coach Ralph "Shug" Jordan, finished with a perfect 10–0 record, marking the school's first ever SEC championship. Auburn was recognized as national champions by the AP Poll even though they were on probation and did not participate in a bowl game. This was the school's first recognized national championship. The 1957 title is shared with Ohio State, who was named the national champion by the Coaches' Poll. This was the first of only two times in the history of the AP championship that it was awarded to a team on probation not allowed to participate in a bowl game (it would occur again in 1974 with Oklahoma).

1983 season

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. The New York Times ranked Auburn number one at the conclusion of the season, but several other retroactive polling found Auburn at number 1, including the Billingsley Report. The universally recognized national champions for 1983 are the Miami Hurricanes.

1993 season

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. However, Auburn was on NCAA probation in 1993 and ineligible for post season play.

2010 season

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 their first BCS National Championship, and second claimed national title. 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.

Summary

The following table summarizes the source and totals for Auburn's national championship seasons.

Source	Championships	Years
AP/Coaches' Poll/BCS (1936–present)	Two	1957 (AP), 2010
CFBDW (recognized)	Three	1913, 1957, 2010
CFBDW (all)	Five	1913, 1957, 1983, 1993, 2010
Claimed by Auburn	Two	1957, 2010

Undefeated seasons

Since its beginnings in 1892, Auburn has completed twelve undefeated seasons.^[46] This includes seven (7) perfect seasons in which the Tigers were undefeated and untied.

Year	Coach	Record
1893	D. M. Balliet/G. H. Harvey	3–0–2
1897	John Heisman	2–0–1
1900	Billy Watkins	4–0
1904	Mike Donahue	5–0
1913	Mike Donahue	8–0
1914	Mike Donahue	8–0–1
1932	Chet A. Wynne	9–0–1
1957	Ralph "Shug" Jordan	10–0
1958	Ralph "Shug" Jordan	9–0–1
1993	Terry Bowden	11–0
2004	Tommy Tuberville	13–0
2010	Gene Chizik	14–0
Total Undefeated Seasons:		12 (7 Perfect)

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 Championships
Conference	Conference Championships
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association	3
Southern Conference	1
Southeastern Conference	8
Total Conference Championships	12

Conference affiliations:

Conference Affiliations
Player	Year
Independent	1892-1894
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association	1895-1920
Southern Conference	1921-1932
Southeastern Conference	1933–Present

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†	SoCon	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:

Conference
confernce	Year	Head Coach
1900	1900	Walter H. Watkins
1904	1904	Mike Donahue
1910	1910	Mike Donahue

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. Rivalries with Clemson, Georgia Tech, Tulane and Florida State were more prominent during Auburn's membership in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Southern Conference, and the early days of the Southeastern Conference.

Primary Auburn Football Rivalries: All-Time Records

Name of Rivalry	Rival	Games Played	First Meeting	Last Meeting	Record	Streak	Latest win
Iron Bowl	Alabama	80	1893	2015	35–44–1	2 loss	2013, 34–28
Deep South's Oldest Rivalry	Georgia	118	1892	2015	55–55–8	1 loss	2013, 43–38
The Tiger Bowl	LSU	49	1901	2015	21–27–1	1 win	2014, 41–7
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-Mississippi State	Mississippi State	89	1905	2015	61–26–2[47][48]	2 loss	2013, 24–20

Total program achievements

National Champions	1957, 2010
Unclaimed National Champions	1910, 1913, 1914, 1958, 1983, 1993, 2004
Conference Champions	1913, 1914, 1919, 1932, 1957, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2004, 2010, 2013
Undefeated Seasons	1893, 1897, 1900, 1904, 1913, 1914, 1932, 1957, 1958, 1993, 2004, 2010
Divisional Champions	1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2013
Heisman Trophy Winners	1971, 1985, 2010
Final Top 10 (AP)	1955, 1957, 1958, 1963, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2013
Final Top 10 (Coaches)	1955, 1957, 1958, 1963, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2013
Bowl Victories*	1937, 1954, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015

• Years listed for Bowl victories are seasons for which they occurred.

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".^[49]

"War Eagle"

Nova, "War Eagle VII"

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.^[50]

Current coaching staff

Name	Position	Alma mater	Year Entering
Gus Malzahn	Head Coach	Henderson State	4th
Rodney Garner	Defensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator	Auburn	4th
Kevin Steele	Defensive Coordinator	Tennessee	1st
Rhett Lashlee	Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks coach	Arkansas	4th
Kodi Burns	Wide receivers coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator	Auburn	1st
Wesley McGriff	Secondary Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator	Savannah State	1st
Travis Williams	Linebackers Coach	Auburn	1st
Scott Fountain	Tight Ends/Special teams Coordinator	Samford	4th
Tim Horton	Running Backs coach	Arkansas	4th
Herb Hand	Offensive line coach	Hamilton College	1st
Ryan Russell	Strength and conditioning coach	Auburn	4th

Head coaches

Auburn Head Coach
Head Coach
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.^[51] From 2013 to present, Gus Malzahn has served as Auburn's head coach.^[52] The team has played more than 1,150 games over 119 seasons.^[51] 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 Malzahn.^[53] Billy Watkins, Mike Donahue, Chet A. Wynne, Jordan, Dye, Tuberville, Chizik, and Malzhan won a combined twelve conference championships.^[54] During their tenures, Jordan and Chizik each won national championships with the Tigers.^[54][55]

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 Atlanta, Georgia.

Statue

Auburn Tigers Player Statues
No.	Player	Position	Tenure
2	Cam Newton	QB	2010
7	Pat Sullivan	QB	1969-71
34	Bo Jackson	RB	1982–85
HC	John Heisman	HC	1895-99

Retired numbers

The Tigers have retired three numbers to date, honoring the following players:^[56]

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

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[57] Best player	Walter Camp Award[58] 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[59] Best interior lineman	Lombardi Award[60] Best lineman/linebacker	Jim Thorpe Award[61] Best defensive back	Rimington Trophy[62] Best center
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	2014 – Reese Dismukes

Coaches

Paul "Bear" Bryant Award[63] Coach of the Year	Eddie Robinson Award Coach of the Year	Sporting News Award Coach of the Year	Home Depot Award[64] Coach of the Year	Bowden Award[65] Coach of the Year	Broyles Award[66] 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

1st Team All-Americans

Name	Position	Years	Source
Jimmy Hitchcock	HB	1932†	WCFF, AP, NEA
Walter Gilbert	C	1937	AP
Monk Gafford	RB	1942	INS
Caleb "Tex" Warrington	C	1944	FWAA, WCFF, AP
Travis Tidwell	RB	1949	Williamson
Jim Pyburn	WR	1954
Joe Childress	RB	1955	FWAA
Frank D'Agostino	T	1955	AFCA, AP
Fob James	RB	1955	INS
Jimmy Phillips	DE	1957‡	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, AP, TSN, NEA, INS , UP, Time
Zeke Smith	OG	1958†, 1959	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, AP, CP, TSN, NEA, Time
Jackie Burkett	C	1958	AFCA, Time
Ken Rice	OT	1959, 1960†	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, AP, CP, TSN, NEA, UPI, Time
Ed Dyas	RB	1960	FWAA
Jimmy Sidle	RB	1963	FWAA, AP
Tucker Frederickson	RB	1964†	FWAA, WCFF, NEA, CP, FN, AP, Time
Jack Thornton	DT	1965	NEA
Bill Cody	LB	1965
Freddie Hyatt	WR	1967	TFN
David Campbell	DT	1968	NEA
Buddy McClinton	DB	1969†	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, CP, FN, UPI
Larry Willingham	DB	1970†	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, AP, FN, TSN, PFW, CP, NEA, UPI, Time
Pat Sullivan	QB	1970, 1971‡	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, AP, FN, TSN, UPI
Terry Beasley	WR	1970, 1971‡	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, AP, FN, TSN, NEA, UPI, Time
Mike Fuller	S	1974	FN
Ken Bernich	LB	1974†	AFCA, WCFF, AP
Neil O'Donoghue	PK	1976	TSN
Keith Uecker	OG	1981	Mizlou
Bob Harris	SS	1982
Donnie Humphrey	DT	1983	WTBS
Gregg Carr	LB	1984†	AFCA, WCFF, AP, UPI
Bo Jackson	RB	1983†, 1985‡	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, AP, TSN, UPI
Lewis Colbert	P	1985	AFCA, TSN
Ben Tamburello	C	1986‡	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF
Brent Fullwood	RB	1986‡	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, AP, SH, TFN, UPI
Aundray Bruce	LB	1987†	AFCA, WCFF, SH, TFN, UPI
Kurt Crain	LB	1987	AP
Stacy Searels	OT	1987	AP, TFN
Tracy Rocker	DT	1987†, 1988‡	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, AP, TSN, UPI
Walter Reeves	TE	1988	TSN
Benji Roland	DT	1988	TSN
Ed King	OG	1989, 1990‡	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, AP, SH, UPI, TFN
Craig Ogletree	LB	1989	TSN
David Rocker	DT	1990†	AFCA, WCFF, AP, UPI
Wayne Gandy	OT	1993†	AP, FWAA, SH, UPI
Terry Daniel	P	1993†	AFCA, FWAA, WCFF, AP, TSN, SH, TFN
Brian Robinson	SS	1994†	WCFF, AP, TFN
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, AP
Karlos Dansby	LB	2003	AFCA, ESPN
Marcus McNeill	OT	2004, 2005†	AP, CBS, FWAA, SI, Rivals, CFN, WCFF, TSN, ESPN
Carlos Rogers	CB	2004†	AP, FWAA, WCFF, SI, Rivals, CFN, ESPN, CBS
Junior Rosegreen	SS	2004	SI, CBS
Carnell Williams	RB	2004	AFCA
Ben Grubbs	OG	2006	Rivals, ESPN, PFW
Cam Newton	QB	2010†	AFCA, AP, Rivals, SI, WCFF, TSN, CBS
Lee Ziemba	OT	2010†	AFCA, FWAA, SI, WCFF
Nick Fairley	DT	2010†	AP, FWAA, Rivals, SI, WCFF, ESPN, CBS, TSN
Steven Clark	P	2011	AP, SI, Rivals, PFW
Tre Mason	RB	2013	TSN
Chris Davis	PR	2013	TSN, CBS
Reese Dismukes	C	2014†	WCFF, AP, AFCA, FWAA, CBS, ESPN, Scout

• † Denotes consensus All-American
• ‡ Denotes unanimous All-American

Tigers in the NFL

Auburn has had 269 players drafted into the NFL, with Joel Eaves being the first ever to be drafted in 1937. Auburn has had a total of 31 first round picks, 9 top 5 picks, and 4 number 1 overall picks in the NFL draft. Auburn currently has 41 players playing in the NFL.

Bo Jackson was taken with the first pick in the 1986 draft

Cam Newton was the top overall pick in the 2011 draft

Player Team Position Years at AU Cameron Artis-Payne Carolina Panthers RB 2013-2014 Daren Bates Oakland Raiders LB 2009-2012 Peyton Barber Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB 2013-2015 Angelo Blackson Tennessee Titans DT 2011-2014 Quan Bray Indianapolis Colts WR 2011-2014 Josh Bynes Detroit Lions LB 2007-2010 Sammie Coates Pittsburgh Steelers WR 2010-2014 Shon Coleman Cleveland Browns OT 2010-2015 Blake Countess Philadelphia Eagles DB 2015 Karlos Dansby Cincinnati Bengals LB 2000-2003 Chris Davis San Francisco 49ers DB 2010-2013 Reese Dismukes Carolina Panthers OG 2011-2014 King Dunlap San Diego Chargers OT 2005-2007 Nick Fairley New Orleans Saints DT 2009-2010 Dee Ford Kansas City Chiefs LB 2009-2013 Corey Grant Jacksonville Jaguars RB 2012-2014 Josh Harris Atlanta Falcons LS 2008-2011 Forrest Hill Indianapolis Colts LS 2012-2014 Jonathan Jones New England Patriots DB 2012-2015 Brandon King New England Patriots DB 2013-2014 DaVonte Lambert Tampa Bay Buccaneers DE 2014-2015 Corey Lemonier San Francisco 49ers LB 2009-2011 Ricardo Louis Cleveland Browns WR 2011-2015 Sen'Derrick Marks Jacksonville Jaguars DT 2006-2008 Nick Marshall Jacksonville Jaguars DB 2013-2014 Tre Mason Los Angeles Rams RB 2011-2013 Cassanova McKinzy Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB 2012-2015 Patrick Miller Jacksonville Jaguars OT 2012-2014 Cam Newton Carolina Panthers QB 2010 Cody Parkey Philadelphia Eagles K 2010-2013 Jay Prosch Houston Texans FB 2013 Trovon Reed Seattle Seahawks DB 2010-2014 Greg Robinson Los Angeles Rams OT 2011-2013 Pat Sims Cincinnati Bengals DT 2004-2007 Chad Slade Houston Texans OG 2010-2014 Robenson Therezie Atlanta Falcons DB 2011-2014 Neiko Thorpe Oakland Raiders DB 2008-2011 C.J. Uzomah Cincinnati Bengals TE 2011-2014 Jermaine Whitehead Baltimore Ravens DB 2011-2014 Gabe Wright Detroit Lions DT 2011-2014 Avery Young New Orleans Saints OG 2011-2015

The Iron Bowl

The Iron Bowl is played annually on Thanksgiving weekend between Auburn and Alabama, and is widely reckoned as the most bitter rivalry 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 out of 6 Iron Bowls have gone on to play in the BCS national championship game. While Alabama leads the overall series 43–35–1, Auburn has won nine out of the 14 meetings since it became a home-and-home series in 2000.

Bowl games

Auburn football teams have been invited to participate in 40 total bowls and have garnered a record of 23–15–2. 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 40, 10th in all-time bowl wins with 23, and 5th in all-time bowl win percentage (minimum of 20 games) at .622. Most recently, Auburn beat the Memphis Tigers in the Birmingham Bowl, 31–10, on December 30, 2015. 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	Attendance
T	01-01-1937	7	Villanova	7	Bacardi Bowl	12,000
W	01-01-1938	6	Michigan State	0	Orange Bowl	18,972
L	01-01-1954	13	Texas Tech	35	Gator Bowl	28,641
W	12-31-1954	33	Baylor	13	Gator Bowl	28,426
L	12-31-1955	13	Vanderbilt	25	Gator Bowl	32,174
L	01-01-1964	7	Nebraska	13	Orange Bowl	72,647
L	12-18-1965	7	Mississippi	13	Liberty Bowl	38,607
W	12-28-1968	34	Arizona	10	Sun Bowl	32,307
L	12-31-1969	7	Houston	36	Bluebonnet Bowl	55,203
W	01-02-1971	35	Mississippi	28	Gator Bowl	71,136
L	01-01-1972	22	Oklahoma	40	Sugar Bowl	80,096
W	12-30-1972	24	Colorado	3	Gator Bowl	71,114
L	12-29-1973	17	Missouri	34	Sun Bowl	30,127
W	12-30-1974	27	Texas	3	Gator Bowl	63,811
W	12-18-1982	33	Boston College	26	Tangerine Bowl	51,296
W	01-02-1984	9	Michigan	7	Sugar Bowl	77,893
W	12-27-1984	21	Arkansas	15	Liberty Bowl	50,108
L	01-01-1986	16	Texas A&M	36	Cotton Bowl Classic	73,137
W	01-01-1987	16	Southern California	7	Florida Citrus Bowl	51,113
T	01-01-1988	16	Syracuse	16	Sugar Bowl	75,495
L	01-02-1989	7	Florida State	13	Sugar Bowl	75,098
W	01-01-1990	31	Ohio State	14	Hall of Fame Bowl	52,535
W	12-29-1990	27	Indiana	23	Peach Bowl	38,962
L	01-01-1996	14	Penn State	43	Outback Bowl	65,313
W	12-31-1996	32	Army	29	Independence Bowl	41,366
W	01-02-1998	21	Clemson	17	Peach Bowl	75,562
L	01-01-2001	28	Michigan	31	Florida Citrus Bowl	66,928
L	12-31-2001	10	North Carolina	16	Peach Bowl	71,827
W	01-01-2003	13	Penn State	9	Capital One Bowl	66,334
W	12-31-2003	28	Wisconsin	14	Music City Bowl	55,109
W	01-03-2005	16	Virginia Tech	13	Sugar Bowl	77,349
L	01-02-2006	10	Wisconsin	24	Capital One Bowl	57,221
W	01-01-2007	17	Nebraska	14	Cotton Bowl Classic	66,777
W	12-31-2007	23	Clemson	20	Chick-fil-A Bowl	74,413
W	01-01-2010	38	Northwestern	35	Outback Bowl	49,383
W	01-10-2011	22	Oregon	19	BCS National Championship Game	78,603
W	12-31-2011	43	Virginia	24	Chick-fil-A Bowl	72,919
L	01-06-2014	31	Florida State	34	BCS National Championship Game	94,208
L	01-01-2015	31	Wisconsin	34	Outback Bowl	44,023
W	12-30-2015	31	Memphis	10	Birmingham Bowl	59,430

Future opponents

Non-division opponents

Auburn plays Georgia as a permanent non-division opponent annually and rotates around the East division among the other six schools.^[67]

2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
at Georgia	vs Georgia	at Georgia	vs Georgia	at Georgia	vs Georgia	at Georgia	vs Georgia	at Georgia	vs Georgia
vs Vanderbilt	at Missouri	vs Tennessee	at Florida	vs Kentucky	at South Carolina	vs Missouri	at Vanderbilt	vs Florida	at Tennessee

Non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of April 9, 2015
Auburn is scheduled to play the following non-conference opponents in future seasons:^[68]

2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
vs. Clemson	at Clemson	vs. Alabama State	vs. Oregon (Arlington, TX)	vs. California	at California
vs. Arkansas State	vs. Mercer				vs. Georgia State
vs. Alabama A&M	vs. Georgia Southern
vs. Louisiana–Monroe	vs. Louisiana–Monroe

Notes

1. The Tigers again used the play against Georgia. Georgia coach Pop Warner later used the trick in 1897 while at Cornell against Penn State; and again and most famously in 1903 while at Carlisle against Harvard, attracting national attention in a close loss.
2. Georgia's quarterback was Richard Von Albade Gammon. The next year, Tichenor transferred to Georgia and Gammon died on the field in a game against UVA.
3. Newell received the Distinguished Service Award for his service in the First World War.^[9] According to David Housel, while in France Newell laid on top of a hand grenade set to explode on a group of people he knew, taking the brunt of the explosion himself. Newell was severely wounded after the act of selflessness.^[10] 36 pieces of scrap iron were removed from his body.^[11]
4. The 1913 Tigers were also named national champions by Billingsley Report, which is Auburn's first national championship recognized in the NCAA records book.
5. They were also named national champions by minor selector Howell Ratings.
6. She signed it "Zelder Sayre."
7. It was considered Auburn's best by Ed Sherling,^[14] who Walter Camp gave honorable mention in 1922.^[15]

Endnotes

1. Auburn Athletics. "Auburn University Official Athletic Site". Auburntigers.com. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
2. "Prestige Rankings: Scoring system explanation". ESPN.com.
3. Evan Woodberry (2012). 100 Things Auburn Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die.
4. Alan Gould (January 24, 1931). "Sport Slants". Prescott Evening Courier.
5. http://www.thewareaglereader.com/2013/05/auburn-theatrical-legend-john-heisman-put-on-starred-in-play-to-save-auburn-football/#.Ug3Oc7xa98k
6. "Brown Calls Vanderbilt '06 Best Eleven South Ever Had". Atlanta Constitution. February 19, 1911. p. 52. Retrieved March 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
7. George Dunglinson, Jr.; John McDuffie, Jr.; W. M. Wilson; A. W. Merkel; H. McDonnell; W. H. McEniry; A. G. Jones; W. M. Shepard, eds. (1904). "Glomerata" (Annual). Auburn, AL: Alabama Polytechnic Institute. p. 172. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
8. "Vanderbilt Captures Contest From Auburn". The Wilmington Morning Star. November 14, 1915. p. 3. Retrieved April 6, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "ASHOF Profile".
10. "Was Auburn’s 1913 Billingsley National Championship team the school’s best squad ever?".
11. Dick Jemison (October 23, 1918). "Kirke Newell Throws Self On Exploding Hand Grenade". Atlanta Constitution. p. 14. Retrieved September 15, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
12. 1920 Glomerata p. 173
13. Jeremy Henderson (October 27, 2014). "Zelda Fitzgerald, Auburn fan".
14. "Auburn's Gator Bowl Champs Rated Among Top Tiger Teams". Ocala Star-Banner. January 16, 1955.
15. "Camp's All America Stars Show Why They Are Winners; Have Brains, Power, Spirit". Harrisburg Telegraph. December 26, 1922. p. 15. Retrieved March 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
16. Erickson, Joel (13 September 2012). "James Owens, the school's first black football player, leaves a lasting legacy at Auburn with award named for him". Al.com. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
17. "http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/m-57". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved 10 March 2015. External link in |title= (help)
18. "Bowden's Son, Terry, New Auburn Coach". latimes.
19. "Bowden Explains Sudden Resignation". latimes.
20. "Tuberville Takes Over At Auburn". tribunedigital-chicagotribune.
21. "Tommy Tuberville resigns as Auburn Tigers coach after 10 years". ESPN.com.
22. "Auburn Tigers hire Gene Chizik". ESPN.com.
23. "Gene Chizik fired by Auburn Tigers". ESPN.com.
24. Archived December 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
25. Final/OT (2015-01-01). "Auburn vs. Wisconsin - Box Score - January 1, 2015 - ESPN". Espn.go.com. Retrieved 2015-12-15.
26. "Conference Record 1992–2012 (SEC West)". Stassen College Football Information. 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-25.
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29. "I-A Winning Percentage 1986–2010 (25 years)". Stassen College Football Information. 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
30. "I-A Winning Percentage 1955–2010". Stassen College Football Information. 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
31. "I-A Winning Percentage 1892–2010". Stassen College Football Information. 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
32. "Billingsley's All Time Top Programs". College Football Research Center. 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
33. "Billingsley's Top 200 Teams of All Time". College Football Research Center. 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
34. Joe Penkala. "College Football". Bleacher Report.
35. "College Football Data Warehouse". cfbdatawarehouse.com.
36. "Auburn Rankings". cfbdatawarehouse.com.
37. "College Football Prestige Rankings: Nos. 21–119". 2009. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
38. "Final AP Poll Appearances Summary". AP Poll Archive. 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
39. "Total AP Poll Appearances Summary". AP Poll Archive. 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
40. "Auburn in the Polls". College Football Data Warehouse. 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
41. 1942 Georgia Bulldogs football team#1942 season
42. "Heisman Trophy Winners to be Honored with Statues Outside Jordan-Hare Stadium". cstv.com.
43. "Auburn Football History and Tradition". Auburn University Athletics Department. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
44. "Auburn Traditions". Auburn University. 2006. Archived from the original on 28 August 2006. Retrieved 2006-09-01.
45. "Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and Museum – Birmingham, Alabama". ashof.org.
46. "Auburn Yearly Totals". cfbdatawarehouse.com.
47. Archived November 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
48. "mcubed.net : NCAAF Football : Series records : Auburn vs. Mississippi St". mcubed.net.
49. "The best Walk in America". ESPN.com. 2003. Archived from the original on 8 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-13.
50. Barnhart, Tony (2000). Southern fried football: the history, passion, and glory of the great Southern game. Triumph. p. 49. ISBN 978-1-60078-093-6.
51. 2010 Auburn Football Media Guide, p. 157
52. "Auburn to name Chizik as coach". ESPN.com. 2008-12-15. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
53. 2010 Auburn Football Media Guide, pp. 136–143
54. 2010 Auburn Football Media Guide, pp. 184–193
55. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). "National Poll Rankings" (PDF). 2010 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Records. NCAA.org. pp. 68–77. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
56. "AuburnTigers.com – Official Athletics Site of the Auburn Tigers – Traditions". auburntigers.com.
57. "Heisman Trophy Winners". heisman.com. Archived from the original on December 9, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
58. Alder, James. "Walter Camp Award Winners". About.com. Archived from the original on 7 January 2008. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
59. "All-Time Outland Trophy Winners". Football Writers Association of America. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
60. "The Rotary Lombardi Award Website — Winners". Rotary Club of Houston. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
61. "The Jim Thorpe Award — Past Winners". The Jim Thorpe Association. Archived from the original on 2007-11-11. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
62. "Rimington Trophy". Retrieved 2014-12-10.
63. "Paul "Bear" Bryant Previous Winners" (PDF). American Heart Association. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
64. "Home Depot Previous Winners". Home Depot. Retrieved 2010-12-08.
65. "Chizik picks up another coaching honor". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2011-03-07.
66. "Former Winners of the Broyles Award". Rotary Club of Little Rock. Archived from the original on 2007-11-09. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
67. "SEC Future Football Schedule Rotation Announced". fbschedules.com. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
68. "Auburn Tigers Football Schedules and Future Schedules". fbschedules.com. Retrieved 2012-09-02.

External links

• Official website