Auburn5-7AP #223Hugh Freeze's top-3 SEC portal class diagnoses Auburn's QB and pass-rush problems with Brown and Womack, but 22% production returning means this is a reset.
Auburn is the program that lives in the same state, recruits the same ground, and refuses the role the rivalry tries to assign it — now on its fourth coach in a decade, betting an offense-minded outsider can finally cash the resources in.
Auburn fans know exactly what the ledger says across the state and refuse to wear the role it implies; the chip is that the same recruiting ground and the same league bid go to two programs, and one o…
Approaching
30 days
until kickoff · vs Baylor · Sat Sep 5 · 19:30 UTC
Auburn is the program the SEC West cannot schedule around.
With a returning player percentage of 22% and a development-class recruiting effort ranked #31, Auburn faces a critical rebuild.
Jordan-Hare is waiting. The week after Alabama is where the year is measured.
the open questiondoes the recruiting haul translate on the field?
Deuce Knight (#28 nationally) arrives at Auburn with just 22% production returning and five NFL exits — Freeze's top-8 class is a direct response to Alabama's top-3 haul.
Hugh Freeze inherits a 5-7 losing record at Auburn, where the SEC West cannot schedule around the program, raising questions about his ability to restore consistency in his third season.
Hugh Freeze inherits a 5-7 losing record at Auburn, where the SEC West cannot schedule around the program, as coordinator changes reshape units and confidence builds slowly.
Golesh inherits a 5-7 roster and a 22% production return at Auburn, where the program's third head coach in five years must prove the SEC West's scheduling dilemma isn't a recurring crisis.
Hugh Freeze's top-3 SEC portal class diagnoses Auburn's QB and pass-rush problems with Brown and Womack, but 22% production returning means this is a reset.
Perry Thompson is used almost exclusively underneath -- a low share of his targets are downfield shots.
Auburn-Baylor NIL deal announced
Freeze is locking in NIL infrastructure while Alabama flips his own in-state targets — the Baylor partnership is Auburn answering a retention problem, not just a recruiting one.
Auburn provides injury report ahead of fall camp
Camp injury report lands right as Golesh makes his Auburn debut and the EDGE room already has pressure — any depth hit there matters more than usual with five NFL exits still on the books.
Karlos May commits to Big Ten
Five NFL exits plus a four-star DL lost to Ohio State — May heading to the Big Ten is another chip off a class that needed every piece to hold together under real EDGE pressure.
James Branch commits to Auburn
Five draft departures and a raw EDGE room — Branch is Freeze's attempt to close the gap before fall camp exposes it in SEC play.
Davion Jones commits to South Carolina
Five draft exits and a top-8 class still couldn't close the EDGE gap — Jones walking out the door to Columbia is the kind of depth bleed that turns recruiting momentum into a math problem real fast.
Tu’upo commits to Texas over Auburn
Freeze lands a top-8 class and a top-7 portal haul, but EDGE pressure was already thin after five draft exits — Tu'upo staying home in Texas stings more than the rankings suggest.
Top 3 commits
Fan confidence lower than any point since 2024
16th percentile among FBS programs
Market outlook
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-08-06
Auburn · Next-Season Outcome Band
Final-season-aware projection: floor / base / ceiling include conference title and CFP games where the model supports them, so a ceiling can exceed a 12-game regular season.
Auburn signed a top-8 recruiting class. It is the program's best recruiting class in at least five years. A top-8 class is a program-level investment. Development timelines decide the return. National coverage is split on what the ranking actually signals for this program.
The optimistic read: the class is real, the program is a destination again.
The 'rankings don't tell the whole story' counter -- development gaps, position holes still open.
This event was in 43 of 666 board posts (6%) over the last 60 days — engaged but not consumed. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
Board health this week (393 posts): 12% positive · 50% neutral · 38% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Auburn: coordinator change reshaping a unit.
The off-field storyline driving the noise right now. Not analysis — the soap opera, and that's the point.
The optimistic read: momentum, and the 'this is real' takes.
The analytical counter: rankings, results, and 'the hype is ahead of the tape' takes.
This event was in 186 of 666 board posts (28%) over the last 60 days — a fanbase consumed by it. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
Board health this week (393 posts): 12% positive · 50% neutral · 38% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Recent Form · last 10 games
Two of five. Schedule has caught up.
Opens Sep 5
vs Baylor · neutral site
✓ fact on line · ~ our read on style
Fan mood index · most recent r/cfb data
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
AL leads the 2026 class with 6 commits. National footprint reaching 7 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
93 signees across 15 states, 2023-2026. AL leads the pull.
Top community posts · last 12 months · r/cfb
11 games with TV coverage: 4 national broadcast, 1 ESPN, 5 conference network, 1 streaming
Kickoff windows: 2 noon, 3 afternoon, 6 primetime
Recovering 86% of the fumbles they've forced — running hot vs. the ~49% league rate.
6 of 7 forced fumbles recovered; 11 of 15 own fumbles recovered themselves, 2025 only.
Converting 26% of pass disruptions into takeaways — well above the ~19% league rate.
11 interceptions of 43 disrupted passes (32 deflected, 11 intercepted), 2025 only.
Losing the penalty battle: 93 penalties committed vs. 69 drawn on opponents, a 134-yard deficit.
764 penalty yards committed vs. 630 drawn on opponents, 2025 season total.
What moved it — fall camp · last 14 days
Fanbase Signals
Position = mood · width = volume · color = the kind of feeling
Inside the fanbase — all 12 corners
The split, staged
How Auburn fans actually talk real · top-upvoted
The crowd’s loudest take by upvotes — read for mood, not as a side. The cohort read is the measured part.
Loudest in the room this week real · by engagement
All 12 corners of the fanbase
Cohort sentiment is a source-weighted model read — never a quote pinned to a person.
What this fanbase keeps coming back to our read · topic model
Topics are model-labeled from Reddit — a rough signal of what this fanbase is circling right now.
Fan reads
Auburn is bolstering its defensive lineup with high-profile commits, aiming to strengthen its roster for future seasons.
Can Auburn's recruiting momentum translate into on-field success?
Texas got a mulligan from the refs in 2024. Much like Auburn did in 2010 (really 3 of them). The SEC gets help they don't deserve. Georgia is the outstanding team. The rest are simply above average. As in 79 to 82 percent of contender status. …YouTube · Josh Pate's College Football Show
Gilbert is a four-star prospect and the state's No. 4 recruit, adding defensive depth for Auburn.
How will Gilbert's commitment impact Auburn's secondary development?
We all know Auburn is NOT beating Georgia is AthensYouTube · Josh Pate's College Football Show
Warrrrr-Eagle 🦅 Definitely Auburn !! We're the best but we'll take number 3 !!!YouTube · ESPN College Football
~ our readAuburn fans are down on the program, and they're pointing to real stats and results to back it up — more than most fanbases right now.
✓ counted We read 393 posts from Auburn fans this week.
Fan mood across the 2025 season, both sides — our read
Shaded weeks show whose fanbase read warmer, our measure of what fans actually said, not a poll.
Fan claims · every quote verified verbatim
Champ has a great attitude of playing where he is needed. Seems like the embodiment of the Auburn man. I hope he finishes the season healthy
He's obviously capable of playing safety and the nickel, but he might have been the best cornerback on the team until he was injured in 2024.
Based on 2 comments from 1 poster across 2 threads · Jul 21, 2026–Jul 28, 2026 · via wde
Golesh has routinely posted top scoring offenses, and brings all of the decision makers from USF - QB, C, and 5 pass catchers.
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Jul 24, 2026 · via CFB
If you flip all of the 1 score games Auburn had last year, we’d have been 11-1. Our defense was really good, we sucked because our offense was completely dysfunctional.
Based on 1 comment from 1 poster across 1 thread · Jul 24, 2026 · via CFB
Offense lives and dies in the trenches, and the Auburn Tigers are set to rely extra heavily on their unit as they head into the 2026 season, as their rushing attack is, by far, their strongest offensive asset this year. However, there have been some concerns about how the offensive line unit will perform in 2026, especially since the Tigers have had to rebuild the room completely.
Based on 1 comment across 1 thread · Jul 30, 2026
the Auburn Tigers have lost six Iron Bowls in a row, and have, in fact, not beaten the Tide since Gus Malzahn was fired from the program in late 2020.
Based on 1 comment across 1 thread · Jul 21, 2026
“Yeah, that’s the same bunch desecrating the National Anthem, so no surprise. The bird was after the cheat TD. BV has no moral. Win at all costs; no surprise. And no the refs didn’t cost the game.”— r/CFB
“If anything the magic has worked against us. Saban pulled 2 miracles to win in 21 and 23, Kirby pulled out Brock Bowers for 600 yards and obviously this year, Mike Leach put Derek Mason in a blender, etc”— r/CFB
“These past five years have made it so hard to be happy about Auburn football, but I’m going to try my best to look past all of the sloppy mistakes and just enjoy the win.”— r/CFB
“I assumed Clark Lea was a very David Shaw-esque person just because of being a double Vandy grad and coaching at "snooty" schools in the last 10 years. Then I watched the SEC Netflix show and what the fuck. Dude is like a special forces instructor, talking about calculated …”— r/CFB
“Had a lot of fun watching this game the camera quality made me feel like I was a kid again watching a Raycom sports game in 2006”— r/CFB
Five Lenses
What people are saying right now
Fanbase Health Index · Auburn · high confidence
“Auburn Announces SEC Media Days Players QB Byrum Brown, DB Champ Anthony, K Alex McPherson”
Alex Golesh announcing that redshirt freshman Tai Buster will be out up to half of the
Fall camp is officially underway. What stood out most from Alex Golesh's comments today? 🏈 The 13-day team retreat? 🏈 Leadership becoming player-led? 🏈
Alex McPherson Connor Gibbs **Punter** Hudson Kaak John McGuire **Kick
Alex McPherson S Anquon Fegans S Eric Winters S Sylvester Smith-Reed S Champ Anthony
Alex Golesh will be the one to make that argument once and for all, I certainly hope
Alex Golesh, the Tigers’ newest head coach, has been clear that this is a trend that
Fla.--Alex Golesh knew he needed kicker Alex McPherson to be ready to go this fall, but his
Alex Golesh. As someone who has seen more of Turner than most of the guys on the Auburn
FBS rankings · 2025 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrambler · +0.21 EPA/play | 11 | 10 | 136 / 215 | 63.3 | 1309 | 6.1 | 6 | 2 | 121.7 | 53.5 | 5.0 | 11.2 | |
Yards by week → ScramblerMakes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 45 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Rush usage34.3% 87th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts INT rate0.9% 91th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Jackson Arnold's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Scrambler · +0.30 EPA/play | 12 | 4 | 68 / 119 | 57.1 | 797 | 6.7 | 3 | 2 | 118.4 | 63 | 5.7 | 6.3 | |
Yards by week → ScramblerMakes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise. 45 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Rush usage34.6% 87th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Rush yards / carry4.4 84th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like Aura Tax — perception-vs-production gap across 4 tracked snapshots, 309 mentions | |||||||||||||
| +0.75 EPA/play | 9 | 2 | 17 / 25 | 68 | 259 | 10.4 | 2 | 0 | 181.4 | 57.2 | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Stuff% | 10+% | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Back · +0.14 EPA/play | 23 | 12 | 175 | 969 #48 FBS | 5.5 | 5 | 46 | 11.7 | 11.1 | 12.1 | 13.9 | 5.9% (19/323) | |
Yards by week → Balanced BackPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 186 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / carry6.1 75th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Receiving share5.9% bottom 19th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint our readAscending: his CFB Index score climbed from the 11th percentile to the 86th among FBS RBs | |||||||||||||
| +0.19 EPA/play | — | 4 | 32 | 128 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 14.5 | 5.8 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possession Receiver · +0.39 EPA/play | 8 | 12 | 57 | 725 | 12.7 | 5 | 46 | 7.1 | 11.5 | 26.6% (86/323) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception13.0 bottom 47th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Reception volume57 89th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Cam Coleman's full player page | |||||||||||
| Slot Technician · +0.22 EPA/play | 1 | 12 | 58 | 534 | 9.2 | 3 | 48 | 11.8 | 13 | 24.5% (79/323) | |
Yards by week → Slot Technician· Boom-or-bustRuns precise routes in tight quarters. Volume player who keeps chains moving. his yards come in chunks — feast or famine All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 97 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Reception volume58 90th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Plays like View Eric Singleton Jr.'s full player page | |||||||||||
| Deep Threat · +0.69 EPA/play | 4 | 11 | 25 | 457 | 18.3 | 2 | 91 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 11.8% (38/323) | |
Yards by week → Deep Threat· Boom-or-bustStretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play. his yards come in chunks — feast or famine 100 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception20.3 97th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.7 78th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Malcolm Simmons's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.10 EPA/play | 3 | 8 | 17 | 154 | 9.1 | 0 | 34 | 9.4 | 10.3 | 10.5% (34/323) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception10.4 bottom 22th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.1 bottom 7th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Perry Thompson's full player page | |||||||||||
| Possession Receiver · +0.56 EPA/play | 5 | 4 | 12 | 106 | 8.8 | 1 | 14 | 12.2 | 8.7 | 4.6% (15/323) | |
Yards by week → Possession ReceiverReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. 332 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception8.3 bottom 10th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Reception volume12 bottom 11th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Horatio Fields's full player page | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.36 EPA/play | 87 | 6 | 13 | 97 | 7.5 | 0 | 19 | 9.3 | 7.6 | 5.3% (17/323) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception7.3 bottom 13th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions TD rate0.0% bottom 10th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Brandon Frazier's full player page | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · -0.09 EPA/play | 15 | 7 | 10 | 84 | 8.4 | 0 | 19 | 3.1 | 5.3 | 5.0% (16/323) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception10.4 bottom 47th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions EPA / play (adj)-0.1 bottom 5th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Preston Howard's full player page | |||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure Merchant | 24 | 12 | 36 | 28 | 9.5 | 5 | 10 |
Pressure MerchantCollapses the pocket even when the sack doesn't come. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 23 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Hurry rate0.3 80th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readBounce-Back: his CFB Index score shows a real arc: 87th percentile among FBS EDGEs, fell to 22nd, now back up to 88th | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | 97 | 11 | 35 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight322 lb 92th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score went from the 19th percentile among FBS IDLs to the 52nd | |||||||
| Versatile End | 15 | 10 | 27 | 23 | 5 | 2 | 6 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. All-Conference honorable mention / 2nd team — the recognition has started. 139 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate18.5% bottom 46th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readFading: his CFB Index score climbed from the 92nd percentile to the 52nd among FBS EDGEs | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 47 | 10 | 18 | 10 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 1 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate25.0% 86th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Malik Blocton's full player page | |||||||
| Speed Rusher | 3 | 9 | 15 | 8 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 1 |
Speed RusherBends the edge and wins with first-step quickness. Lighter frame, relentless motor. 12 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Sack rate23.3% 95th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readFading: his CFB Index score now sits at the 42nd percentile among FBS EDGEs, up from the 85th | |||||||
| Versatile End | 10 | 9 | 14 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
Versatile EndNo single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board. 139 of 200 EDGEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate42.9% 98th percentile · FBS EDGE, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score moved from the 13th to 37th percentile among FBS EDGEs | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | 35 | 9 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight362 lb 100th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readFading: his CFB Index score went from the 83rd percentile among FBS IDLs to the 27th | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | 92 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight317 lb 88th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Jay Hardy's full player page | |||||||
| 91 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 96 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 41 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 17 | 12 | 84 | 60 | 24 | 17 #9 FBS | 9 #20 FBS | 1 | 1 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.7 97th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Sack rate10.7% 94th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Xavier Atkins's full player page | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | — | 12 | 67 | 47 | 20 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.7 97th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Tackle volume67 72th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like our readReinvented: changed shape entirely — Thumper to Sideline-to-Sideline, his CFB Index score moved from the 12th to 69th percentile among FBS LBs | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 9 | 11 | 30 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 89th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles PD rate0.0% bottom 18th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Elijah Melendez's full player page | |||||||||
| 6 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 16 | 5 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Safety | 8 | 12 | 50 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Box SafetyLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume50 65th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score climbed from the 29th percentile to the 58th among FBS Ss | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 25 | 12 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate3.0% bottom 25th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Eric Winters's full player page | |||||||
| Cover Corner | 4 | 12 | 31 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Cover CornerSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. The most common profile in its group this season — 141 of 270 classified this way. Played in 12 of 21 games this season · junior · 4-star, 2023 class View Kayin Lee's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 19 | 11 | 28 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · sophomore · 4-star, 2023 class View Sylvester Smith's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 5 | 11 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · senior View Jahquez Robinson's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 21 | 11 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate4.2% bottom 30th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Anquon Fegans's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 28 | 10 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate10.0% 60th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Kensley Louidor-Faustin's full player page | |||||||
| Cover Corner | 14 | 9 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0.5 | 0 |
Cover Corner· Takeaway threatSteady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way 141 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate6.2% bottom 23th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Rayshawn Pleasant's full player page | |||||||
| Ball Hawk | 23 | 9 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Ball HawkReads the quarterback's eyes and takes the ball away. 44 of 270 CBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate26.7% 91th percentile · FBS corners, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Jay Crawford's full player page | |||||||
| 1 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic | 38 | 12 | 20/23 | 87.0 | 35/35 | 95 | 49 |
| 33 | 1 | 0/1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 41 | 1 | 0/1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 14 | 12 | 49 | 2060 | 42 | 55 | 11 | 1 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cover Corner | 14 | 9 | 19 | 412 | 21.7 | 1 | 98 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Threat · +0.69 EPA/play | 4 | 11 | 16 | 60 | 3.8 | 0 | 15 |
2025 stat leaders
finalRoster
2025+17 more
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 30 | #46 | #21 | -1 | @Baylor | W 38–24 141 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 6 | #23 | #241 | -42.5 | Ball State | W 42–3 116 | 2-0 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 13 | #46 | #99 | -26.5 | South Alabama | W 31–15 131 | 3-0 | 0-0 |
| 4 | Sep 20 | #41 | #12 | +6.5 | @Oklahoma | L 17–24 128 | 3-1 | 0-1 |
| 5 | Sep 27 | #36 | #9 | +6.5 | @Texas A&M | L 10–16 126 | 3-2 | 0-2 |
| 7 | Oct 11 | #33 | #5 | +4.5 | Georgia | L 10–20 133 | 3-3 | 0-3 |
| 8 | Oct 18 | #35 | #15 | +1.5 | Missouri | L 17–23 155 | 3-4 | 0-4 |
| 9 | Oct 25 | #33 | #52 | +2.5 | @Arkansas | W 33–24 115 | 4-4 | 1-4 |
| 10 | Nov 1 | #34 | #85 | -12 | Kentucky | L 3–10 132 | 4-5 | 1-5 |
| 11 | Nov 8 | #37 | #25 | +5.5 | @Vanderbilt | L 38–45 151 | 4-6 | 1-6 |
| 13 | Nov 22 | #31 | #83 | -26.5 | Mercer | W 62–17 133 | 5-6 | 1-6 |
| 14 | Nov 30 | #26 | #6 | +7 | Alabama | L 20–27 148 | 5-7 | 1-7 |
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 30 | Alabama | L 20–27 | 411 | 2 | 25:31 | +0.048 | 39.0% | 112.5% | One-score loss |
| Nov 22 | Mercer | W 62–17 | 547 | 0 | 22:40 | +0.559 | 52.6% | 187.5% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Nov 8 | @Vanderbilt | L 38–45 | 563 | 0 | 29:00 | +0.412 | 50.0% | 131.2% | Defense's roughest night |
| Nov 1 | Kentucky | L 3–10 | 241 | 2 | 28:14 | -0.066 | 33.3% | 99.1% | Best defensive stand |
| Oct 25 | @Arkansas | W 33–24 | 380 | 1 | 37:40 | +0.027 | 47.3% | 75.7% | |
| Oct 18 | Missouri | L 17–23 | 357 | 1 | 27:13 | +0.081 | 39.4% | 117.7% | One-score loss |
| Oct 11 | Georgia | L 10–20 | 278 | 1 | 29:48 | +0.039 | 39.4% | 93.9% | |
| Sep 27 | @Texas A&M | L 10–16 | 177 | 0 | 25:54 | -0.150 | 25.0% | 98.8% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Sep 20 | @Oklahoma | L 17–24 | 287 | 0 | 35:34 | +0.118 | 30.4% | 157.3% | One-score loss |
| Sep 13 | South Alabama | W 31–15 | 337 | 0 | 28:33 | +0.323 | 52.4% | 104.2% | |
| Sep 6 | Ball State | W 42–3 | 495 | 1 | 29:45 | +0.427 | 57.6% | 123.6% | Best success rate |
| Aug 30 | @Baylor | W 38–24 | 415 | 0 | 33:18 | +0.289 | 55.7% | 89.1% | |
| Season average (12 games) | 374 | 0.7 | +0.176 | 43.5% | 115.9% | ||||
Auburn fields a capable methodical, ball-control offense behind an elite defense.
Opponent-adjusted percentiles vs all FBS. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Team identity · competitive snaps only
47th percentile quality, 53rd percentile boom-dependency. Garbage time excluded from both axes — the same correction that changes the Q4 story below.
| Team | Quality percentile | Boom-share percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 86th | 11th |
| Akron | 12th | 89th |
| Alabama | 58th | 17th |
| App State | 35th | 47th |
| Arizona | 64th | 37th |
| Arizona State | 41st | 62nd |
| Arkansas | 90th | 12th |
| Arkansas State | 17th | 66th |
| Army | 57th | 43rd |
| Auburn | 47th | 53rd |
| BYU | 78th | 19th |
| Baylor | 69th | 25th |
| Boise State | 66th | 20th |
| Boston College | 37th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 2nd | 98th |
| Buffalo | 11th | 88th |
| California | 28th | 48th |
| Central Michigan | 52nd | 64th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 16th |
| Clemson | 51st | 48th |
| Coastal Carolina | 17th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 18th | 84th |
| Colorado State | 16th | 83rd |
| Delaware | 38th | 58th |
| Duke | 80th | 14th |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 36th |
| Eastern Michigan | 49th | 42nd |
| Florida | 30th | 67th |
| Florida Atlantic | 62nd | 59th |
| Florida International | 42nd | 50th |
| Florida State | 83rd | 32nd |
| Fresno State | 26th | 73rd |
| Georgia | 81st | 3rd |
| Georgia Southern | 73rd | 21st |
| Georgia State | 36th | 70th |
| Georgia Tech | 84th | 5th |
| Hawai'i | 64th | 41st |
| Houston | 27th | 65th |
| Illinois | 75th | 26th |
| Indiana | 95th | 1st |
| Iowa | 44th | 40th |
| Iowa State | 68th | 22nd |
| Jacksonville State | 54th | 38th |
| James Madison | 65th | 44th |
| Kansas | 85th | 28th |
| Kansas State | 71st | 49th |
| Kennesaw State | 56th | 30th |
| Kent State | 21st | 86th |
| Kentucky | 15th | 85th |
| LSU | 14th | 81st |
| Liberty | 43rd | 56th |
| Louisiana | 19th | 73rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 39th | 61st |
| Louisville | 48th | 64th |
| Marshall | 55th | 39th |
| Maryland | 30th | 74th |
| Memphis | 80th | 24th |
| Miami | 76th | 5th |
| Miami (OH) | 34th | 67th |
| Michigan | 67th | 33rd |
| Michigan State | 27th | 75th |
| Middle Tennessee | 39th | 52nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 77th |
| Mississippi State | 22nd | 77th |
| Missouri | 61st | 30th |
| Missouri State | 55th | 46th |
| NC State | 86th | 23rd |
| Navy | 94th | 17th |
| Nebraska | 48th | 57th |
| Nevada | 3rd | 97th |
| New Mexico | 58th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 9th | 87th |
| North Carolina | 13th | 89th |
| North Texas | 98th | 7th |
| Northern Illinois | 8th | 92nd |
| Northwestern | 52nd | 36th |
| Notre Dame | 99th | 20th |
| Ohio | 67th | 18th |
| Ohio State | 93rd | 4th |
| Oklahoma | 20th | 80th |
| Oklahoma State | 5th | 95th |
| Old Dominion | 83rd | 45th |
| Ole Miss | 89th | 2nd |
| Oregon | 91st | 10th |
| Oregon State | 2nd | 98th |
| Penn State | 73rd | 33rd |
| Pittsburgh | 60th | 39th |
| Purdue | 25th | 78th |
| Rice | 6th | 94th |
| Rutgers | 70th | 27th |
| SMU | 74th | 42nd |
| Sam Houston | 4th | 96th |
| San Diego State | 24th | 76th |
| San José State | 45th | 69th |
| South Alabama | 36th | 58th |
| South Carolina | 23rd | 86th |
| South Florida | 87th | 23rd |
| Southern Miss | 40th | 55th |
| Stanford | 10th | 90th |
| Syracuse | 5th | 95th |
| TCU | 72nd | 35th |
| Temple | 70th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 96th | 11th |
| Texas | 45th | 55th |
| Texas A&M | 82nd | 14th |
| Texas State | 92nd | 8th |
| Texas Tech | 77th | 31st |
| Toledo | 50th | 61st |
| Troy | 14th | 80th |
| Tulane | 79th | 15th |
| Tulsa | 20th | 70th |
| UAB | 61st | 45th |
| UCF | 33rd | 82nd |
| UCLA | 23rd | 79th |
| UConn | 95th | 13th |
| UL Monroe | 11th | 92nd |
| UNLV | 88th | 9th |
| USC | 98th | 2nd |
| UTEP | 1st | 99th |
| UTSA | 77th | 51st |
| Utah | 97th | 6th |
| Utah State | 46th | 63rd |
| Vanderbilt | 100th | 0th |
| Virginia | 59th | 27th |
| Virginia Tech | 32nd | 71st |
| Wake Forest | 42nd | 72nd |
| Washington | 92nd | 8th |
| Washington State | 33rd | 52nd |
| West Virginia | 7th | 93rd |
| Western Kentucky | 53rd | 29th |
| Western Michigan | 31st | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 0th | 100th |
| Wyoming | 8th | 91st |
Fourth-quarter reliability, corrected
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 46th percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it drops to the 31st — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
73rd percentile success on standard downs, 24th on passing downs — a 49-point gap between the two.
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 82nd | 69th |
| Akron | 20th | 36th |
| Alabama | 47th | 76th |
| App State | 41st | 80th |
| Arizona | 54th | 54th |
| Arizona State | 40th | 37th |
| Arkansas | 90th | 97th |
| Arkansas State | 51st | 40th |
| Army | 37th | 44th |
| Auburn | 73rd | 24th |
| Austin Peay | 56th | 13th |
| BYU | 91st | 46th |
| Ball State | 5th | 3rd |
| Baylor | 70th | 77th |
| Boise State | 42nd | 63rd |
| Boston College | 56th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 10th | 17th |
| Bryant | 7th | 2nd |
| Buffalo | 29th | 20th |
| California | 25th | 66th |
| Central Michigan | 57th | 11th |
| Charlotte | 7th | 7th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 65th |
| Clemson | 49th | 34th |
| Coastal Carolina | 16th | 22nd |
| Colorado | 8th | 48th |
| Colorado State | 29th | 35th |
| Delaware | 66th | 31st |
| Duke | 82nd | 63rd |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 91st |
| Eastern Michigan | 46th | 67th |
| Florida | 52nd | 45th |
| Florida Atlantic | 44th | 61st |
| Florida International | 50th | 26th |
| Florida State | 65th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 22nd | 71st |
| Georgia | 95th | 69th |
| Georgia Southern | 64th | 84th |
| Georgia State | 22nd | 75th |
| Georgia Tech | 92nd | 89th |
| Hawai'i | 33rd | 87th |
| Houston | 61st | 29th |
| Idaho | 30th | 78th |
| Idaho State | 93rd | 14th |
| Illinois | 79th | 95th |
| Indiana | 97th | 98th |
| Iowa | 74th | 19th |
| Iowa State | 80th | 58th |
| Jacksonville State | 59th | 56th |
| James Madison | 77th | 52nd |
| Kansas | 99th | 82nd |
| Kansas State | 37th | 59th |
| Kennesaw State | 44th | 67th |
| Kent State | 15th | 5th |
| Kentucky | 62nd | 29th |
| LSU | 18th | 52nd |
| Lafayette | 0th | 12th |
| Liberty | 65th | 53rd |
| Lindenwood | 4th | 1st |
| Long Island University | 24th | 78th |
| Louisiana | 24th | 23rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 41st | 24th |
| Louisville | 84th | 32nd |
| Maine | 3rd | 18th |
| Marshall | 71st | 62nd |
| Maryland | 11th | 86th |
| Massachusetts | 5th | 9th |
| Memphis | 75th | 68th |
| Merrimack | 1st | 83rd |
| Miami | 80th | 64th |
| Miami (OH) | 33rd | 39th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 74th |
| Michigan State | 48th | 39th |
| Middle Tennessee | 69th | 47th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 33rd |
| Mississippi State | 52nd | 35th |
| Missouri | 76th | 50th |
| Missouri State | 32nd | 50th |
| Murray State | 1st | 6th |
| NC State | 58th | 71st |
| Navy | 95th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 78th | 51st |
| Nevada | 17th | 16th |
| New Mexico | 38th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 16th | 33rd |
| North Carolina | 14th | 30th |
| North Texas | 100th | 97th |
| Northern Illinois | 9th | 5th |
| Northwestern | 48th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 88th | 99th |
| Ohio | 69th | 76th |
| Ohio State | 99th | 99th |
| Oklahoma | 39th | 41st |
| Oklahoma State | 14th | 7th |
| Old Dominion | 72nd | 79th |
| Ole Miss | 83rd | 95th |
| Oregon | 93rd | 55th |
| Oregon State | 54th | 25th |
| Penn State | 76th | 73rd |
| Pittsburgh | 35th | 56th |
| Purdue | 46th | 88th |
| Rice | 20th | 0th |
| Rutgers | 71st | 84th |
| SMU | 50th | 57th |
| Sam Houston | 26th | 4th |
| San Diego State | 84th | 1st |
| San José State | 68th | 70th |
| South Alabama | 53rd | 28th |
| South Carolina | 31st | 8th |
| South Carolina State | 10th | 3rd |
| South Florida | 86th | 46th |
| Southern Miss | 27th | 38th |
| Stanford | 12th | 12th |
| Syracuse | 19th | 10th |
| TCU | 63rd | 82nd |
| Temple | 85th | 22nd |
| Tennessee | 97th | 81st |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 88th | 59th |
| Texas State | 60th | 93rd |
| Texas Tech | 45th | 65th |
| Toledo | 67th | 42nd |
| Troy | 18th | 27th |
| Tulane | 81st | 86th |
| Tulsa | 43rd | 43rd |
| UAB | 34th | 94th |
| UCF | 39th | 20th |
| UCLA | 28th | 48th |
| UConn | 96th | 37th |
| UL Monroe | 13th | 14th |
| UNLV | 78th | 85th |
| USC | 94th | 90th |
| UT Martin | 2nd | 41st |
| UTEP | 3rd | 10th |
| UTSA | 67th | 92nd |
| Utah | 87th | 96th |
| Utah State | 31st | 49th |
| Vanderbilt | 90th | 100th |
| Virginia | 36th | 73rd |
| Virginia Tech | 59th | 21st |
| Wake Forest | 21st | 31st |
| Washington | 98th | 93rd |
| Washington State | 61st | 44th |
| West Virginia | 12th | 18th |
| Western Kentucky | 55th | 80th |
| Western Michigan | 86th | 16th |
| Wisconsin | 6th | 27th |
| Wyoming | 23rd | 15th |
Halftime identity
1st-half offense ranks 67th percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 37th — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
Schedule mirage
Raw EPA/play through week 21 is 0.18; 67th percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's 0.05. The widest gap came in week 2: 0.36 raw vs. 0.06 adjusted.
Auburn reads strongest in rushing epa allowed (top 2%) and rushing epa (top 10%); the crux lives in explosive plays, where Auburn sits at the 7th percentile.
offense · strengths lead
defense · higher bar = harder to play against
hidden math · special situations
Most Similar Programs · Auburn
Static-attribute similarity across tier, archetype, conference, and voice. Not a prediction — a calibration.
Home-Field Advantage · Auburn · 2018-present
60% home win rate vs 36% on the road. margin runs +16.1 better at home. Jordan-Hare Stadium seats 87,451, averaging 99% full (86,468 attendance, 30 games reported).
Positional competition · RB room
Jeremiah Cobb and Damari Alston split the carries (173/206 vs 33/206) -- but the job isn't split the same way.
Positional competition · WR/TE room
Cam Coleman (WR) and Brandon Frazier (TE) split the targets (83/100 vs 17/100) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Cam Coleman is the one trusted on 3rd down.
3rd-down target share, week by week (weeks both players actually played the role)
What changed
The biggest shift: 1st-down pass rate moved up 10 points. The rest held closer to steady.
The biggest shift: red-zone pass rate moved down 7 points. The rest held closer to steady.
Season by season
Defensive identity · pass zones
On short passes, Auburn’s defense allows a completion rate above the FBS mean (68.8% vs 65.9% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 112-play sample) — mid-pack, 114 of 133 qualifying defenses.
We won’t show a deep-ball leaderboard here: at the defense level, most teams face well under 30 rich-feed deep targets all season — too thin to tell a real tendency from noise, so we won’t guess.
72°F average kickoff temp; 4% of games had measurable precipitation; 6 mph average wind.
Based on 71 home games with weather data.
12 seasons inside the CFP era, no bids yet — the era the program is still trying to break into.
Auburn's 2014–2025 record is 83-67. The era is still being written; the CFP line is the one the program is arguing for.
Week-by-week rivalry heat isn't tracked yet for this matchup — check back as the 2026-27 season approaches and real fan-intel signal accumulates.
Who's more worked up right now
Cross-fanbase rivalry sentiment for this matchup hasn't been measured yet this week — both sides show as neutral until real signal comes in.
THE LAST 5 · year-by-year
All-Time Record
since 1902 · 123 seasons · .601 win rate
Four head coaches in a decade. A 5-7 season and a mid-November firing. Now Alex Golesh, a former Tennessee coordinator with one of the most explosive offenses in FBS, and a portal quarterback named Byrum Brown who threw for 3,158 yards at USF. Auburn has the resources and the stadium and the fury — and it is starting over again.
The Iron Bowl runs through Tuscaloosa and Auburn in equal measure. Same state, same recruiting ground, the same SEC bid — and Auburn has spent the better part of a decade watching one side of that equation collect national titles while the other restarts its head coaching search. The chip is not a pose; it is structural. War Eagle is said with an edge because the ledger demands one.
Hugh Freeze arrived in December 2022 with a recruiting reputation and an offensive pedigree and left in November 2025 at 15-19, fired after an 0-3 start bled into a 4-5 record and an SEC mark that never matched the talent on hand. DJ Durkin finished the season as interim. On Nov. 30, Auburn hired Golesh — the USF architect who squeezed historically explosive numbers out of a non-Power program — and brought Brown with him through the portal. The bet is that a real scheme, finally, converts what Jordan-Hare has always been able to offer.
The 2026 season will adjudicate a question Auburn has been deferring since Cam Newton walked out: does the talent-rich, resource-rich, stadium-loud program just keep needing another year of patience, or does a new offensive identity and a dual-threat quarterback finally produce the SEC contender the fanbase has been waiting for since 2013? Golesh is Year One. The room that says give it time is arguing with the room that has been counting down four consecutive first years.
Auburn under Golesh is betting on scheme over pedigree — an RPO-forward, dual-threat attack built around Brown's ability to run the ball as a first option and throw it in space. Golesh's offenses at USF consistently ranked among the FBS leaders in yards and pace. The defensive identity under Durkin's holdover staff is physical and SEC-tested. The Jordan-Hare crowd remains one of the sport's genuine home-field advantages — 88,043 seats, the eagle flight, and 100 years of grudge.
Auburn 2016–2025. Slipping -1.8 rungs across the last 10 seasons. Slope -0.27 rungs / year — moving down the prestige scale.
12 seasons on file
down middle peak CFP year
Season Standing · 2025 · 5-7 · AP #22
Auburn: Ranked in the AP/Coaches polls, 16-25. National relevance achieved.
SEC Standing · 2025
Auburn is 13th of 16 in the SEC at 1-7. The path to the title is steep — the focus is on bowl access and rivalry wins.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ole Miss | 8-1 |
| 2 | Alabama | 8-2 |
| 3 | Georgia | 8-2 |
| 4 | Texas A&M | 7-1 |
| 5 | Texas | 6-2 |
| 6 | Vanderbilt | 6-2 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 6-3 |
| 8 | Missouri | 4-4 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 4-4 |
| 10 | LSU | 3-5 |
| 11 | Florida | 2-6 |
| 12 | Kentucky | 2-6 |
| 13 | Auburn | 1-7 |
| 14 | Mississippi State | 1-7 |
| 15 | South Carolina | 1-7 |
| 16 | Arkansas | 0-8 |
Coaching Era · Auburn
Alex Golesh took over from Hugh Freeze for the 2026 season.
The rituals that anchor a Saturday in this program's world.
since 2000
A live golden eagle (Nova or Aurea, alternating) launches from the upper deck of Jordan-Hare and spirals down to midfield as 87,000 fans roar 'WAAAAR EAGLE!' through the descent. The fan voice is built into the ritual — the eagle's flight times the chant. One of the most theatrical pre-game traditions in sports.
since 1972
Fans wrap the oak trees at the intersection of College Street and Magnolia Avenue in toilet paper. The 2010 BCS title run drowned the corner in white. The original oaks were poisoned by an Alabama fan in 2010 and replaced; the ritual continued through the interregnum on new trees.
since 1914
Not a fight song, not a chant — a call-and-response that defines Auburn fandom. Origin stories vary (the Civil War veteran's pet eagle is the favored one). Used as greeting, sign-off, victory cry, condolence. The phrase IS the program.
since 1962
Players walk from Sewell Hall to Jordan-Hare through a corridor of fans. Originated when fans spontaneously lined the route in 1962; codified into a ritual within a decade. Replicated (badly) at programs nationwide; Auburn's was the prototype.
since 1893
Not a single ritual — a 7-day suspension of normal life for both fanbases. The 2013 Kick Six, the 2010 comeback, the 1972 Punt Bama Punt — Auburn's identity is partly measured in Iron Bowl miracles. Calendar marker that overrides everything else.
The Tigers' 62-17 win over Mercer in Week 13 produced a 45-point margin, 38.9 points above the team's season-average of 6.1 — the widest gap between a single scoreline and Auburn's own baseline all year. War Eagle looked a lot more comfortable in November than it had most of the season.
gamelog · 2025 season · wk 13Opponent rushing EPA against Auburn checked in at the 98.9 percentile of the country — meaning almost no team found room to run against the Tigers last season. It was the kind of number the offense hadn't matched, but the front seven carried its share of the load.
Savant card · 2025 season through postseasonColeman carried more total mentions than any other Auburn skill player in the pool — 118 across 15 weeks — with a peak attention score of 5.88. War Eagle had a receiver worth talking about every week since August.
gamelog + roster archive · Cam Coleman · 2025Daniels' WEPA graded positive on both sides of his game — .23 passing across 126 plays, .34 rushing across 54 — while carrying 76 mentions over 16 weeks, longer than Coleman's run in the conversation. War Eagle is the greeting; on Saturdays that fall, Daniels made sure it had a reason to be said twice.
gamelog + roster archive · Ashton Daniels · 2025The Tigers ranked at the 7.6 percentile of FBS in explosive-play rate on offense last season — meaning all but a handful of teams nationally generated more big plays. It was the clearest data-backed gap between Auburn's defense, elite by the same measure, and an offense that was still searching for chunk yardage.
Savant card · 2025 season through postseasonProgram memory
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
1957
Ralph Jordan's 10-0 team won Auburn's first national title
Newton's undefeated Tigers win the BCS championship over Oregon
2013
Chris Davis returns a missed field goal 109 yards to beat Alabama as time expires
2013
A tipped Hail Mary beats No. 7 Georgia weeks before the Kick Six
Miracle
Moment of the Year · Auburn · 2025
Week 5 of 2025. The single game that defined the season's arc.
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
Most recent: 2023 — loss 31-13 (away). Last 5 postseason: 1-4.
NFL Draft Pipeline
2022–202619 picks last 5 cycles. 1 first-round picks. Recruits with NFL ambitions notice.
Unit lineage
FBS-relative efficiency percentile per season (2014–2025), same population as the Coordinator Mirror board. Dashed vertical lines mark a coordinator change.
Hired for 2026: Joel Gordon / co-Kodi Burns — not yet reflected in on-field data.
Hired for 2026: D. J. Durkin / co-Tim Banks — not yet reflected in on-field data.
All-time top community posts · ranked by upvotes
Auburn · Next-Season Outcome Band
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
Fanbase Health Index · Auburn · high confidence
2025 stat leaders
How They Play · 2025
Most Similar Programs · Auburn
Season Standing · 2025 · 5-7 · AP #22
Coaching Era · Auburn
Moment of the Year · Auburn · 2025
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
NFL Draft Pipeline