Digging Deeper Than Their Record to Evaluate the Auburn Tigers

The Auburn Tigers are off to a disappointing start, but the numbers beyond their record could speak greater volumes

The Auburn Tigers sit at 2-4 but that doesn't fully represent their performance. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Records don't lie. But there could be more to the story than the Auburn Tigers’ 2-4 (0-3 SEC) record.

Granted, Auburn fumbled away more than one chance to invert their record, yet the whole story resides deeper to some. One of those is ESPN who released the 2024 Power Index. Lo and behold, the Tigers suddenly don’t look as bad.

Strength of Schedule

Currently, the Tigers possess the thirteenth-hardest schedule in the nation. Now, the optimist would label that as a product of playing in the SEC, and that doesn't show anything truly about the team itself. Therefore, Auburn is better than you think.

The SEC sits atop of FBS as the premier football conference. That means Auburn is more likely to struggle. If the Tigers played in the ACC, chances remain high that the program would annually contend for a conference title.

Likewise for the Mountain West or whatever incarnation the Pac-12 evolves into. Auburn runs the table in those conferences, based on talent and the ability to recruit more of it. Perception changes with time and circumstance. That 2-4 Auburn SEC record looks more like a 5-1 ACC record.

Remaining Strength of Schedule

With hills still to climb just to get even, the Tigers still face a gauntlet of tough teams during the remainder of the season. With Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, and Alabama left to play, things look rather rough on the back end.

Meanwhile, a tilt against Louisiana-Monroe would look like a breather if the Warhawks didn't beat James Madison last week. It’s the same James Madison that hung seventy points during a payday game at the UNC. Louisiana-Monroe also holds a 4-1 record in their own right. With zero layups ahead of them, Auburn can make hay and possibly still sneak into a bowl game. They could also stay on track for a subpar season - by SEC and historical standards.

Yes, Auburn sits at 2-4. That record remains a disappointment. Yet, that record, even though people do not want to hear it, looks misleading. In three of those losses, the margin of defeat is, on average, 7.6 points, which is a one-score game.

If the team executes better, doesn't throw game-ending interceptions, or has playcalling meltdowns, Auburn boasts a 4-2 or even 5-1 record. That immediately changes the narrative. The Tigers, save for the game against Georgia, do not suffer blowouts, keeping close in games with the opportunity to win. With that said, the team still needs to fix the broken aspects and play smarter football. However, a real question of whether to grade the 2024 Auburn Tigers on a curve truly exists. Whether that happens will continue as a mystery.