How the Auburn Tigers Compete in the New SEC

Between the eighth and ninth day of December in 1932, ten Southern Conference teams departed to form the Southeastern Conference. The Auburn Tigers, and its entire athletic program, fanbase, and alumni are SEC bluebloods. Yet in 2024, no one mentions them in the same regard as Alabama or Georgia.

With Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC, Auburn's role in the new SEC changes. Yet, that does not necessarily mean for the worse. In fact, the Big 12 arrivals should motivate the Tigers on the athletic side, especially football.

Direct Deposit

In the modern world of college football, much like the old one, cash rules. However, these days we see a more legitimate, less covert manner of paying players. Instead of the hundred-dollar handshakes, recruits simply log on to their bank account and take care of their finances.

Now, schools employ NIL professionals. As a result, the quest for cash becomes that much more important. At the same time, the new rules should hopefully decrease the number of infractions. With Auburn, they will need to financially compete with the other SEC teams, bankrolled by wealthy donors.

Despite popular perception, schools like Ole Miss carry significant monetary clout that they used to not only lure but extend Lane Kiffin's contract. In order to keep pace, the money around Auburn must open the checkbook early and often. Granted, this newly open strategy will not resonate with many. Yet, in order to win games, the donor base must continue to contribute.

The Harder Climb

With Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC, the Tigers will need to venture further west to play a conference opponent. As a result, some feel as though the two new teams will present significant roadblocks.

However, Auburn football needs to view these schools as just two new opponents, just like Arkansas and Missouri when they also joined the conference. On the field, Oklahoma and Texas present a football powerhouse that looks daunting.

However, Auburn can recruit just as much talent as those two schools. Yes, the state of Texas provides a fertile recruiting ground for the Longhorns. At the same time with roughly 400 FBS football players signing per year, UT perennially struggles to lock the state down, keeping outside schools from poaching talent, including Oklahoma.

To put it differently, the Texas high school talent attends Texas, Oklahoma, A&M, LSU, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma State, TCU, Houston, UTSA, SMU, Texas Tech and Texas State. In that case, profound depth becomes an immediate problem. Now, players do not want to see a year or two and wait their turn.

Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2011, but with the addition of the Longhorns, there's no doubt the Lone Star state is now SEC Country.

Overview

Auburn will play well in the new SEC, for the simple fact that while football struggled over the last decade or so, opportunity exists. With the southeast being the most recruitable area in the United States, the Tigers will still thrive with Alabama high school talent, while raiding Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Florida as well. Where the football program can help them is winning games.

Nothing gets a faster commitment from a prep standout is building and maintaining a strong winning tradition. Under those circumstances, schools like Auburn don't need to adjust to Texas and Oklahoma. Those schools need to adjust to the weekly rigors of the SEC.