How has Auburn done after starting 0-1 in SEC play?

The Auburn Tigers have started 0-1 in SEC play five times in the last twenty years. How can this season end for Hugh Freeze's first season?

Shel Hickman | Sep 26, 2023

How has Auburn done after starting 0-1 in SEC play? /

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Auburn Tigers

In Auburn’s first SEC game of 2023, the Tigers lost 27 – 10 to Texas A&M on the road. This is the sixth time in twenty years that Auburn has started conference play 0-1. How did the seasons shake out when we started 0-1 in the SEC?

2007

In 2007, your Tigers were beaten by the Mississippi State Bulldogs 19-14 in Week 3. The Tommy Tuberville and Brandon Cox-led team finished the regular season 8-4 with losses to USF, Mississippi State, LSU, and Georgia. The 2007 Tigers won the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Clemson to finish the year 9-4.

2012

Two seasons after the Cam Newton-led Auburn Tigers won the national championship, the infamous season that was 2012 occurred. Mississippi State was Auburn's first loss in SEC play with another low-scoring game, 28-10, reminiscent of the 2007 game against the Bulldogs. Gene Chizik was released from his coaching duties for the Tigers with one of the worst seasons Auburn has had in recent history, going 3-9.

2015

LSU beat Auburn in Baton Rouge by a score of 45-21. Jeremy Johnson and Sean White split the 2015 season and led the Tigers to a 6-6 regular season with losses to LSU, Mississippi State, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Georgia, and Alabama. In the Birmingham Bowl, the Tigers beat Memphis 31-10 to be 7-6.

2016

This season, to me, is the closest example to the current state of 2023. Sean White started for the 2016 Tigers and the passing game was below average and the run game was superb with Kameron Pettway and Kerryon Johnson. Not only has the offense mirrored each other, but the 2016 Tigers’ first SEC loss was also Texas A&M. The score is also like this year’s 27-10 loss with a 29-16 score in 2016. This season they ended with a record of 8-4 in the regular season. The Tigers went to the Sugar Bowl and got beat by Oklahoma 35-19 to end the season 8-5. I believe this record to be the most like the current state of the Auburn Tigers.

2018

In 2018, the Tigers experienced a heartbreaking loss to LSU, getting beat by one point. Jarrett Stidham and company were coming off of a phenomenal 2017 season and had high hopes for 2018. The season finished with a record of 7-5 with losses to LSU, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. Auburn traveled to the Music City Bowl to beat the Purdue Boilermakers 63-14 to advance to 8-5.

While starting 0-1 in SEC play is certainly not ideal, the Tigers have had 4 out of 5 winning seasons since 2000 when starting 0-1. 2016 is the best comparison for me in how this season will play out. All hope is not lost for a successful season after dropping the first game in SEC play.

2007 – 9-4, Bowl Win

2012 – 3-9

2015- 7-6, Bowl Win

2016 – 8-5, Bowl Loss

2018 – 8-5, Bowl Win