this site predicts we go 6-6

[KnightTiger 205]

i think we can possibly pull an upset or two and get 7 possibly 8 wins. penn state game will tell alot

https://strangeandgreatstateofalabama755539042.wordpress.com/2021/07/27/official-2021-auburn-football-schedule-breakdown/

[Cardin Drake 1,821]

Bah, humbug. Hard to get through our schedule without a stumble, but we ain't losing all those games.

[ScotsAU 1,316]

I’m more worried about penn state than I am Arkansas or LSU

 

[Sani-Freeze 552]

So do I. People have talked at length about the O-line weaknesses, but I don't think the D-line will be as good as many are assuming either. Way too many recruits from the past few years who didn't pan out, and a lot of new/inexperienced ones that will have to play significant snaps. This is a serious rebuild and I think 6-6 is realistic. I will be encouraged if Harsin can get us to 7-5 and thrilled if it's any better than that. Obviously, the expectations will go up after he has some time to get his players and system in place. 

Edited July 28, 2021 by Sani-Freeze

[Mikey 16,566]

Last year we had ten big regular season games and won six of them. (60%) This year we have nine big regular season games. Just a slight improvement to 67%, win the three gimme games and we are 9-3. Surely we can make that slight improvement? Anything less than 9-3 will be a step backward, statistically at least.

Depending on how pre-season camp goes, I'm thinking we could do 10-2 or better, barring a rash of injuries to key players.

[AU9377 4,922]

1 hour ago, Sani-Freeze said:

So do I. People have talked at length about the O-line weaknesses, but I don't think the D-line will be as good as many are assuming either. Way too many recruits from the past few years who didn't pan out, and a lot of new/inexperienced ones that will have to play significant snaps. This is a serious rebuild and I think 6-6 is realistic. I will be encouraged if Harsin can get us to 7-5 and thrilled if it's any better than that. Obviously, the expectations will go up after he has some time to get his players and system in place. 

There are holes, but to see a "serious rebuild", look to South Carolina or Arkansas last year.

[AuburnEagle79 2,165]

I think 8 wins is a likely landing spot pending something crazy happening one way or the other. I see losses to Bama, UGA, A&M, and 1 of either LSU, Penn St, or Miss. 

[AuCivilEng1 10,995]

There is, for some reason, some incredibly low expectations for Auburn this season. I don’t really understand it. I can see people saying that we only win 7 or 8. But I don’t see see doing anything but improving from last year. It doesn’t make since that we wouldn’t. This Auburn team went 6-4 regular season, last year. That’s not great, but we are adding in 3 cupcakes, and getting an offensive staff that actually runs a real college offense. 

[AUpreacherman22 3,884]

I read a preview while in B&N the other day.   I believe it was Athlon that predicted that we go 7-5, 3-5 in the SEC, with a win against PSU.  Losses were bama, uga, LSU, A&M, and Ole Miss.  
 

Two things that struck me as funny….We had one 3rd team All-SEC OL.  It was Nick Brahms.   They believe he is the 3rd best C in the league and our best OL.    Also had Tank as the 4th best RB in the league.  

[AuburnEagle79 2,165]

1 hour ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

There is, for some reason, some incredibly low expectations for Auburn this season. I don’t really understand it. I can see people saying that we only win 7 or 8. But I don’t see see doing anything but improving from last year. It doesn’t make since that we wouldn’t. This Auburn team went 6-4 regular season, last year. That’s not great, but we are adding in 3 cupcakes, and getting an offensive staff that actually runs a real college offense. 

I agree. The only thing I can this is the ones making those predictions expecting Arkansas to take the next step and Mississippi to either start playing defense or start scoring 50+ per game. 

Easy to lose: Bama, UGA, A&M, Penn St, LSU, Ole Miss. 

Easy to win: Georgia State, Akron, Alabama St, Miss St, South Carolina

Toss-up: Arkansas 

[80Tiger 899]

39 minutes ago, AuburnEagle79 said:

I agree. The only thing I can this is the ones making those predictions expecting Arkansas to take the next step and Mississippi to either start playing defense or start scoring 50+ per game. 

Easy to lose: Bama, UGA, A&M, Penn St, LSU, Ole Miss. 

Easy to win: Georgia State, Akron, Alabama St, Miss St, South Carolina

Toss-up: Arkansas 

IMO we have to quit counting the cupcake wins. They do not mean anything except to mask your win total. That is why last year, 6-5 was truly more reflective of what type of team we were versus a 8-5 if we added 2 more cupcake games. Cupcake games do nothing more but hide that you may be a really bad or average team. They trick you into thinking you are good or have improved. After throwing out the nobody schools your above scenario leaves us at 3-6. Hardly a good year in anyone's eyes.

[gravejd 3,270]

No way if we start 4-0 do we end up 6-6. But with that said i do see 6-6 as a possibility. We went 6-4 last season but that could have just as easily been 4-6. We weren't a good team last year on either side of the ball. Kudos to the players and coaching staff for gutting out the wins they did. But no guarantees we'll get the same lucky bounces/calls. I figure you can pencil in all 3 of Miss St, Arkansas, and Ol Miss as programs that will be better than they were last season. I think we'll be better as well but they are in second year of new coaches and we are in first. 

Probably win: Georgia State, Akron, Alabama St, South Carolina
Toss Ups: Miss St, Ol Miss, Arky, Penn St., A&M

Probably lose: Bama, LSU, Georgia

I'll have anything as 6 wins or less being disappointed in the season. 7 to 9 wins and my happiness will depend on how the team is playing and improving as the season goes along. 10 and more wins and i'll fall in love with this staff like i did Gus back in 2013. I'll hope this honeymoon last longer lol. 

I'm really concerned with the offense this season. We have proven RBs but that is it. I think the offense can be good.....3rd year returning starter at QB and all of OL is back. But i'm in the boat of the OL being not that great and the QB has been inconsistent. Zero experience at WR outside of the uga transfer. Yeah things may look better with the new offense but i'll need to see it look better before i get too confident. 

On defense we are adjusted to a major change in scheme. And we have zero playmakers on the DL. I liked what i saw out of the D on Aday and i think our backend of DBs and LBs could be great if that can learn all their fits in the new scheme. But will they be good enough to carry the team if the offense struggles?? 

[johnjacob 44]

10 hours ago, Mikey said:

Last year we had ten big regular season games and won six of them. (60%) This year we have nine big regular season games. Just a slight improvement to 67%, win the three gimme games and we are 9-3. Surely we can make that slight improvement? Anything less than 9-3 will be a step backward, statistically at least.

Depending on how pre-season camp goes, I'm thinking we could do 10-2 or better, barring a rash of injuries to key players.

I've been thinking 9 or better if the team stays healthy for the most part and 7-8 if injuries become an issue before big games. 

[johnjacob 44]

37 minutes ago, gravejd said:

No way if we start 4-0 do we end up 6-6. But with that said i do see 6-6 as a possibility. We went 6-4 last season but that could have just as easily been 4-6. We weren't a good team last year on either side of the ball. Kudos to the players and coaching staff for gutting out the wins they did. But no guarantees we'll get the same lucky bounces/calls. I figure you can pencil in all 3 of Miss St, Arkansas, and Ol Miss as programs that will be better than they were last season. I think we'll be better as well but they are in second year of new coaches and we are in first. 

Probably win: Georgia State, Akron, Alabama St, South Carolina
Toss Ups: Miss St, Ol Miss, Arky, Penn St., A&M

Probably lose: Bama, LSU, Georgia

I'll have anything as 6 wins or less being disappointed in the season. 7 to 9 wins and my happiness will depend on how the team is playing and improving as the season goes along. 10 and more wins and i'll fall in love with this staff like i did Gus back in 2013. I'll hope this honeymoon last longer lol. 

I'm really concerned with the offense this season. We have proven RBs but that is it. I think the offense can be good.....3rd year returning starter at QB and all of OL is back. But i'm in the boat of the OL being not that great and the QB has been inconsistent. Zero experience at WR outside of the uga transfer. Yeah things may look better with the new offense but i'll need to see it look better before i get too confident. 

On defense we are adjusted to a major change in scheme. And we have zero playmakers on the DL. I liked what i saw out of the D on Aday and i think our backend of DBs and LBs could be great if that can learn all their fits in the new scheme. But will they be good enough to carry the team if the offense struggles?? 

Gus' lack of offense had a lot to do with the struggles last season. The talent was there to win 8 or more games, Gus' gused it up as usual. 

[W.E.D 11,070]

11 hours ago, ScotsAU said:

I’m more worried about penn state than I am Arkansas or LSU

 

We haven't won in death valley in two decades  That's an auto loss every year it's there, IMO.  We're cursed.

Arkansas, I agree with you

[steeleagle 2,945]

10 hours ago, Mikey said:

Last year we had ten big regular season games and won six of them. (60%) This year we have nine big regular season games. Just a slight improvement to 67%, win the three gimme games and we are 9-3. Surely we can make that slight improvement? Anything less than 9-3 will be a step backward, statistically at least.

Depending on how pre-season camp goes, I'm thinking we could do 10-2 or better, barring a rash of injuries to key players.

It's interesting you are using simple math to come up with your win total. lol. Not looking at who we play is not part of your criteria? 

The fact is these 3 home games we had last year that we won(Ky, UT, Ark) have been replaced with (Alabama, GA, and TAM). To me that makes it harder to get to that 9 win total u are seeing. 

[W.E.D 11,070]

3 hours ago, AUpreacherman22 said:

I read a preview while in B&N the other day.   I believe it was Athlon that predicted that we go 7-5, 3-5 in the SEC, with a win against PSU.  Losses were bama, uga, LSU, A&M, and Ole Miss.  
 

Two things that struck me as funny….We had one 3rd team All-SEC OL.  It was Nick Brahms.   They believe he is the 3rd best C in the league and our best OL.    Also had Tank as the 4th best RB in the league.  

Some of these sites are amazing in their evaluations.  Brahms being 3rd team is pretty terrible.  He's easily our worst OL and if Council is healthy, hopefully isn't a starter.

[steeleagle 2,945]

2 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

Some of these sites are amazing in their evaluations.  Brahms being 3rd team is pretty terrible.  He's easily our worst OL and if Council is healthy, hopefully isn't a starter.

You don't love the media picking Brahms as 1st team ALL-Sec? lol.

I can see 3rd team, but 1st. Geez. All i remember seeing was good teams trucking all over our center last year....

[W.E.D 11,070]

1 hour ago, gravejd said:

Probably win: Georgia State, Akron, Alabama St, South Carolina
Toss Ups: Miss St, Ol Miss, Arky, Penn St., A&M

Probably lose: Bama, LSU, Georgia

I think this is the best way to lay it out.  I'd even through LSU in the the toss ups, State into the Probably Wins, they are bad.

There is so much unknown right now.  We can put down 5-2 with a ton of certainty.  Then every other game is against a team that is pretty good or maybe even getting better than last year and with stable coaching building on the year prior.  We got better too.  The hand wringing over these toss ups is kinda point less but there's nothing else to talk about.

I doubt we lose them all, but I could see us going from anything of 1-4 to 4-1.  So anyone predicting us between 6-6 and 9-3 has an argument that I could agree with.

[W.E.D 11,070]

1 minute ago, steeleagle said:

You don't love the media picking Brahms as 1st team ALL-Sec? lol.

I can see 3rd team, but 1st. Geez. All i remember seeing was good teams trucking all over our center last year....

Wait, that happed at SEC Media days?  I've been slammed with a deployment and didn't really pay attention to much outside vaccine rates.

[steeleagle 2,945]

2 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

Wait, that happed at SEC Media days?  I've been slammed with a deployment and didn't really pay attention to much outside vaccine rates.

yep.

But just remember this is the same media, the year before that picked Big Kat 1st team too. So they are consistent.

 

[gravejd 3,270]

20 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

I think this is the best way to lay it out.  I'd even through LSU in the the toss ups, State into the Probably Wins, they are bad.

There is so much unknown right now.  We can put down 5-2 with a ton of certainty.  Then every other game is against a team that is pretty good or maybe even getting better than last year and with stable coaching building on the year prior.  We got better too.  The hand wringing over these toss ups is kinda point less but there's nothing else to talk about.

I doubt we lose them all, but I could see us going from anything of 1-4 to 4-1.  So anyone predicting us between 6-6 and 9-3 has an argument that I could agree with.

I debated on where to put Miss ST., i think they are the hardest team in the SEC to predict. I'm going to assume that the offense will be MUCH better in Leach's second season. He has found ways to make that offense work everywhere he has been so i think he'll put up some big numbers in the SEC as well. But can they put together a good enough defense to stay competitive in the SEC??

I also think that weird air raid offense they run could give our new defensive scheme problems. If we have any holes in coverage Leach will find it and exploit it. 

[auburnphan 6,050]

We have 4 major question marks going into the season and 3 of them are on offense with potentially a 4th.

Quarterback play

Offensive line play

WR play

DL play

one could add TE play since we never really used them last year

I am optimistic with better scheme we will get results, but there is pretty good reason to not get our expectations to high do to poor roster management from the previous staff.

[AUpreacherman22 3,884]

Oh WOW!!!!  I thought picking Brahms 3rd team AllSEC was funny.  1st team is shocking!!!  I agree with @W.E.D, he seemed to be our worst OL, and hopefully won’t start this year, unless he is very much improved!

[oracle79 3,569]

16 hours ago, KnightTiger said:

https://strangeandgreatstateofalabama755539042.wordpress.com/2021/07/27/official-2021-auburn-football-schedule-breakdown/

Where do y'all find these sites? Just give your 1st grader a crayon and have him/her predict our schedule and I'll guarantee they will be more accurate.

Betting line is 7 wins - paying -115 over and +110 under. I took the over.  We were basically a .500 team last year, so getting 8 wins this year would be marked improvement. Everything should be better except receivers and D-line. Hopefully, Mason and Bobo earn their pay and we improve.