6.4.23 Football Articles

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247Sports forecasts brutal SEC slate for Auburn in 2024

Taylor Jones

2–3 minutes

The long-awaited decision regarding conference scheduling within the SEC was officially made on June 1 when the conference announced that it will keep its traditional eight-game model, but will eliminate divisions beginning in 2024.

There is not a set structure regarding permanent opponents and rotations, however, as the eight-game model will be evaluated after the 2024 season. After facing the likes of Alabama and LSU in the western division every season since 1992, will Auburn catch a break with the SEC’s new division-less system? Brad Crawford of 247Sports does not see that happening.

Buy Tigers Tickets

Following the announcement from the SEC, Crawford took time to predict Auburn’s 2024 SEC slate, and it is anything but easy. Crawford projects the Tigers to get its usual dose of Alabama, Georgia, and LSU, followed by four teams that reached bowl games during the 2022 season.

Here’s how Crawford predicts Auburn’s “nightmare” conference slate to appear:

Texas

Missouri

South Carolina

LSU

at Georgia

at Alabama

at Mississippi State

at Kentucky

This prediction, if true, will be “business as usual” for Auburn, as the Tigers have grown accustomed to facing Alabama, Georgia, and LSU every season. Mixing in teams that have built a reputation for consistent bowl play in Mississippi State, South Carolina, and Kentucky, and Hugh Freeze will have quite the challenge as he works to rebuild the program. Welcoming SEC newcomer, Texas, to Jordan-Hare Stadium will be a nice touch, as the Longhorns have not visited the Plains since 1987.

Auburn, as well as the rest of the SEC, will learn about its 2024 opponents on Wednesday, June 14.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

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thespun.com

 

Auburn Fans All Said The Same Things After NCAA Tournament Elimination

Kameron Duncan

~2 minutes

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ATLANTA - MARCH 10: Aubie, the mascot for the Auburn Tigers cheers during a time out in the first round of the SEC Men's Basketball Tournament against the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Georgia Dome on March 10, 2005 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

The Auburn Tigers hosted one of this weekend's regionals at the NCAA baseball tournament.

Things didn't go well for them, as they were eliminated on Saturday with a loss to the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. That loss came after their first loss in their opening game to the Penn Quakers. 

0-2 in a regional you're hosting is never a good outcome, and many Auburn fans had the same reaction to the loss and elimination.

"It's time for football," they're saying at Auburn. There are only a few weeks between now and the beginning of the college football season, and that means a fresh start for Auburn athletics.

Hugh Freeze is taking over the football program after a difficult run by Bryan Harsin that saw him lose control of the locker room.

Freeze will be looking to restore Auburn to the glory they experienced under their last two head coaches before Harsin in Gene Chizik and Gus Malzahn.

Chizik led the Tigers to a perfect 14-0 season in 2010, winning the national championship with a team led by the Heisman-winning Cam Newton.

Malzahn led Auburn to the national championship game in 2013, where they fell to a Florida State team some have regarded as one of the greatest teams of all time.

Freeze isn't expected to compete for national titles out of the gate, but that won't stop Auburn fans from looking forward to his debut.

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yahoo.com

Auburn’s offense will ‘go as Payton Thorne goes’ in 2023 according to one analyst

Taylor Jones

3–4 minutes

Out of all the transfers that Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers have landed since December, the one that has the ability to make the most impact is quarterback Payton Thorne.

Thorne played three seasons at Michigan State before transferring to Auburn, with two full seasons of starting experience. That resume will be important to Auburn’s offense, as they prepare to go into full rebuild mode under Freeze and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery.

High qualifications, however, lead to high expectations. In a recent episode of The Hard Count podcast from On3, host J.D. PicKell shared his list of quarterbacks that will begin the season “in a pressure cooker”, and Thorne, of course, made the cut.

PicKell says that he understands the newfound optimism that has graced Auburn with Thorne’s signing, and says that the Tigers’ offense will only be as good as Thorne is on any given Saturday.

“You know what you’re getting in him. He’s a starter. He’s had solid production throughout the course of his career. But he’s the batteries for this offense at Auburn,” PicKell said. “Make no mistake about it, the offense under Hugh Freeze at Auburn will go as Payton Thorne goes.”

PicKell also referenced Auburn’s impressive transfer portal haul when discussing the improvements to the program, but doubles down on his claim that the energy and attitude of Auburn’s offense will run through Thorne, so it will be important for him to play at a high level every single snap.

“(Auburn) did a lot through the portal. Have one of the top portal classes this cycle. Payton Thorne being a part of that portal class. But if Payton Thorne doesn’t bring his a-game, if he doesn’t allow the offense to operate because he’s not up to speed, or he’s making mistakes, he’s not consistent, whatever it ends up being, they will go as Payton Thorne goes,” PicKell said.

Thorne passed for 6,493 yards and 49 touchdowns in three seasons at Michigan State. He led the Spartans to 10 wins and a Peach Bowl victory in 2021 before a lower-body injury in the Spartans’ opener against Western Michigan slowed down his production during the 2022 season.

Check out the entire segment of PicKell’s breakdown on The Hard Count below:

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page

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4 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

247Sports forecasts brutal SEC slate for Auburn in 2024

Taylor Jones

2–3 minutes

The long-awaited decision regarding conference scheduling within the SEC was officially made on June 1 when the conference announced that it will keep its traditional eight-game model, but will eliminate divisions beginning in 2024.

There is not a set structure regarding permanent opponents and rotations, however, as the eight-game model will be evaluated after the 2024 season. After facing the likes of Alabama and LSU in the western division every season since 1992, will Auburn catch a break with the SEC’s new division-less system? Brad Crawford of 247Sports does not see that happening.

Buy Tigers Tickets

Following the announcement from the SEC, Crawford took time to predict Auburn’s 2024 SEC slate, and it is anything but easy. Crawford projects the Tigers to get its usual dose of Alabama, Georgia, and LSU, followed by four teams that reached bowl games during the 2022 season.

Here’s how Crawford predicts Auburn’s “nightmare” conference slate to appear:

Texas

Missouri

South Carolina

LSU

at Georgia

at Alabama

at Mississippi State

at Kentucky

This prediction, if true, will be “business as usual” for Auburn, as the Tigers have grown accustomed to facing Alabama, Georgia, and LSU every season. Mixing in teams that have built a reputation for consistent bowl play in Mississippi State, South Carolina, and Kentucky, and Hugh Freeze will have quite the challenge as he works to rebuild the program. Welcoming SEC newcomer, Texas, to Jordan-Hare Stadium will be a nice touch, as the Longhorns have not visited the Plains since 1987.

Auburn, as well as the rest of the SEC, will learn about its 2024 opponents on Wednesday, June 14.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

I thought they were going to balance it based on winning % over the last decade? Crawford projected LSU as our third permanent when we thought that would actually get sorted out, so I'd like to think he knows nothing.

Edited June 4, 2023 by AUwent

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45 minutes ago, AUwent said:

I thought they were going to balance it based on winning % over the last decade? Crawford projected LSU as our third permanent when we thought that would actually get sorted out, so I'd like to think he knows nothing.

The prediction is pretty much nonsense bc no one has an idea....but this gives us 4 teams from the top half, 4 teams from the bottom half and split them up home/away. 

This is what our schedule is going to always look like going forward. Idk why it's a "nightmare" and why Auburn fans are already crying about it

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1 minute ago, W.E.D said:

The prediction is pretty much nonsense bc no one has an idea....but this gives us 4 teams from the top half, 4 teams from the bottom half and split them up home/away. 

This is what our schedule is going to always look like going forward. Idk why it's a "nightmare" and why Auburn fans are already crying about it

The only way people will not bitch about any of  the proposed schedules is if we go to an all SEC regular season.  Everyone plays everyone.   Top 2 go to the SECCG based on W-L  and ties broken by  some parameters  that I am not smart enough to make.

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16 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

The prediction is pretty much nonsense bc no one has an idea....but this gives us 4 teams from the top half, 4 teams from the bottom half and split them up home/away. 

This is what our schedule is going to always look like going forward. Idk why it's a "nightmare" and why Auburn fans are already crying about it

The term "nightmare" was used by Crawford himself. When he got to Oklahoma he said that it would be the "second toughest," therefore implying that we'd have the toughest.

Edited June 4, 2023 by AUwent

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10 minutes ago, AUwent said:

The term "nightmare" was used by Crawford himself. When he got to Oklahoma he said that it would be the "second toughest," therefore implying that we'd have the toughest.

Then hypothetically in 2 years we'd have one of the near easiest if UGA and LSU roll off.

It's going to be hard. It's the SEC. When we have perennial doormats of USC, Missouri, Kentucky, MSU....can't really complain

I honestly think the SEC will get Bama/UGA on opposite schedules 

Edited June 4, 2023 by W.E.D

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9 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

Then hypothetically in 2 years we'd have one of the near easiest if UGA and LSU roll off.

It's going to be hard. It's the SEC. When we have perennial doormats of USC, Missouri, Kentucky, MSU....can't really complain

I honestly think the SEC will get Bama/UGA on opposite schedules 

It's pretty obvious 2024 and 5 will be bridge schedules, with 2026 being the start of the 9 team era, just like 2012 and 13 were bridge schedules for 2014. Someone in the SEC really loves Chinese zodiacs.

Edited June 4, 2023 by AUwent

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50 minutes ago, AUwent said:

The term "nightmare" was used by Crawford himself. When he got to Oklahoma he said that it would be the "second toughest," therefore implying that we'd have the toughest.

I don't see how that anyone's is more difficult than Bama’s 

This fiction gives them 5 teams (plus UT) in the upper half of the conference. Essentially 6.

Same with Texas and Oklahoma.

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7 hours ago, W.E.D said:

I don't see how that anyone's is more difficult than Bama’s 

This fiction gives them 5 teams (plus UT) in the upper half of the conference. Essentially 6.

Same with Texas and Oklahoma.

To elaborate, I averaged out each team's proposed schedule (by Crawford) by winning percentage. Each team is listed below in the order that Dellenger said would be used to determine their schedule. Yes, I realize Tennessee being good again and the newcomers being in the Big 12 doesn't make this exact science, but clearly one of Dellenger or Crawford is grossly incorrect. I prefer to believe it's the latter!

Alabama 55.06

Georgia 48.59

Oklahoma 52.54

Louisiana State 52.74

Florida 48.06

Texas 52.88

Auburn 57.46

Texas A&M 52.64

Missouri 53.69

Mississippi State 52.58

Mississippi 42.15

Tennessee 55.98

South Carolina 48.81

Kentucky 48.73

Arkansas 59.49

Vanderbilt 51.53

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1 hour ago, AUwent said:

To elaborate, I averaged out each team's proposed schedule (by Crawford) by winning percentage. Each team is listed below in the order that Dellenger said would be used to determine their schedule. Yes, I realize Tennessee being good again and the newcomers being in the Big 12 doesn't make this exact science, but clearly one of Dellenger or Crawford is grossly incorrect. I prefer to believe it's the latter!

Alabama 55.06

Georgia 48.59

Oklahoma 52.54

Louisiana State 52.74

Florida 48.06

Texas 52.88

Auburn 57.46

Texas A&M 52.64

Missouri 53.69

Mississippi State 52.58

Mississippi 42.15

Tennessee 55.98

South Carolina 48.81

Kentucky 48.73

Arkansas 59.49

Vanderbilt 51.53

Miss abd UGA the clear outliers in their fantasy. Most pretty consistent 

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12 minutes ago, W.E.D said:

Miss abd UGA the clear outliers in their fantasy. Most pretty consistent 

Correlation of .0019, so not really.

Edited June 5, 2023 by AUwent

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16 hours ago, AUwent said:

Correlation of .0019, so not really.

What are you correlating?  The numbers above are just the avgs of the 1-16 rankings from my tweet? 

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2 hours ago, W.E.D said:

What are you correlating?  The numbers above are just the avgs of the 1-16 rankings from my tweet? 

A teams winning percentage vs. the average winning percentage of Crawford’s projected opponents. Left most is Vandy, right most is Alabama.

                           W %              Avg w % of proj opp

Alabama            88.8              55.06

Georgia              79                 48.59

Oklahoma          78.2              52.54

LSU                    63.4             52.74

Florida               57.3               48.06

Texas                 54.3              52.88

Auburn               53.6              57.46

TAMU                 53                 52.64

Missouri             47.5               53.69

MSU                   46.3               52.58

Mississippi          44.4              42.15

Tennessee          41.4               55.98

USC                     41.4               48.81

Kentucky             39                  48.73

Arkansas              25.6               59.49

Vanderbilt             19.7               51.53

So no, it's not consistent. Arky in particular should riot if this happens.

Edited June 5, 2023 by AUwent

[AUwent 3,747]

Here's my attempt at making it correlate, SO FAR (not perfect, but I'm almost certain I've put more thought into that than Crawford did):

Team (avg (#/8)

Alabama (52.67 (7))— Auburn, LSU, Mississippi, MSU, Oklahoma, USC, Tennessee

Arkansas (44.35 (8))—Auburn, Kentucky, MSU, Missouri, USC, Texas, TAMU, Vanderbilt

Auburn (51.57 (6))—Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Vanderbilt

Florida (55.08 (4))— Auburn, Georgia, MSU, Tennessee

Georgia (51.33 (4))— Auburn, Florida, USC, TAMU

Kentucky (44.75 (7))— Arkansas, Auburn, Oklahoma, USC, Tennessee, TAMU, Vanderbilt

LSU (51.48 (4))— Alabama, Mississippi, TAMU, Vanderbilt

Mississippi (54.55 (4))— Alabama, LSU, MSU, Vanderbilt

MSU (46.2 (6))— Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Missouri (52.7 (3))— Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas

Oklahoma (57.4 (4))— Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Texas

USC (50.42 (5))— Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Vanderbilt

Tennessee (50.22 (5))— Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, MSU, Vanderbilt

Texas (51.08 (4))— Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, TAMU

TAMU (52.26 (5))— Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Texas

Vanderbilt (44.39 (8))— Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, MSU, USC, Tennessee

 

Edited June 6, 2023 by AUwent