Once Proud Program at Auburn Now Third Fiddle to Basketball, Baseball

Tigers have taken Missouri's spot as that team no one remembers is in the SEC until they pop up on the schedule, lack relevancy of Bruce Pearl's hardwood teams

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Nov 9, 2023 1:32 AM EST
Original:
Nov 9, 2023

In this story:

Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – What happened to Auburn? How did a once proud football program become a basketball school relegated to Missouri's previous place in the SEC as the team people struggle to remember when trying to list off conference football teams?

Until an e-mail came across asking for thoughts on the Auburn defense, the Tigers hadn't been on the radar since SEC Media Days outside of keeping an eye on the Auburn vs. Baylor basketball game. They haven't even so much as showed up on the TV in the allHogs offices while flipping channels. Just like how Missouri sneaks up every year to suddenly remind everyone that not only are they on the schedule, but they're an SEC team, the same thing has happened with Auburn. And with Mizzou finally hitting its stride making too much noise to ignore, the fighting Eagle Tigers of Alabama get to wear the crown of team often forgot.

Even though Auburn is technically an SEC West team, college football expansion combined with a case of irrelevancy to the college football world has pushed Auburn further east from a football perspective. In Arkansas, the focus is on teams that actually feel like they're in the West.

LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Texas A&M and even Oklahoma and Texas feel top of mind. Alabama feels like it's on the farthest fringe of the SEC West and could trip over into Georgia at any moment, but for some reason, Auburn has always felt East Coast. They're definitely far enough away that most people West of the Mississippi don't know whether they're in the Eastern or Central time zone.

Even though it felt odd to call them SEC West even back when the West ended with Arkansas and LSU, the Tigers were at least fun. They were stirring up trouble by becoming what has to be the only SEC champion to go undefeated and not get invited to the national championship game. They had that whole run with Cam Newton and his Superman poses. They were locking Arkansas coaches in elevators at halftime in the mid-2010s. Gus Malzahn kept things interesting by teasing a return to become Arkansas head coach while being a constant thorn in Nick Saban's side.

They weren't ripping off national titles at a heavy clip like their big brother in Tuscaloosa, but they were a football school. Now, when Auburn comes to mind, the No. 1 thought is the basketball team. Now those guys know how to be Auburn and it's a blast every time they come around. Bruce Pearl even steals a high profile Arkansas basketball recruit every now and then just to add a little edge.

There's even a crazy scene with the student section. A decade ago, it was Auburn basketball that was the "Oh, yeah, they're still in the SEC" team, but not any more. Pearl doesn't sneak into Bud Walton to face off with Eric Musselman's latest concoction of Razorback talent. He is escorted in to great fanfare because Razorback basketball fans love someone who can bring a challenge.

No. 2 on the list is Auburn baseball. They have found a way to be relevant and cause problems in the Razorbacks' never-ending quest to win a national championship under Dave Van Horn. It's kinda up and down, but there's no doubt the Tigers matter in baseball.

However, no one ever notices Auburn football for the right reasons. Even the final year or so of Gus Malzahn's tenure began to fade in visibility. The Tigers only end up on the radar for their dysfunctional meddling boosters and negative storylines these days. The Bryan Harsin drama. The momentary rise under Cadillac Williams only to pull the rug out from under him. Dragging Hugh Freeze and his endless baggage to Auburn instead. Then there was that miserable game against Missouri last season that only ended up on the radar of other SEC teams because both refused to win.

Now, to be clear, Sam Pittman and several of the Arkansas players have probably been aware of Auburn on the schedule all season. Freeze is second to Dan Enos for reasons why Pittman has been on the hot seat this season and chances are he'd like a little payback for that shocking home loss to Liberty last year.

Still, for most, Auburn is just the team everyone forgot comes between Florida and Florida International. Maybe one day the football team will be as cool and relevant as its basketball counterpart. Opposing assistant coaches will start showing up in supply closets after games tied up like it's a Scooby Doo episode or a mysterious buzzing will make it impossible to communicate between the press box and the field as Auburn returns to the college football world.

Until then, they're just the new Missouri. They could disappear from next year's schedule as a last minute realignment adjustment and no one would notice.