College Football: 5 most underrated programs in college football history

The Tigers have brought two national titles back to the Plains, and they also have unrealized claims on titles in three other seasons. In any other state, that would make the team boasting those figures the Goliath among programs in that state. No matter how good Auburn gets in a given season, though, they will always play second fiddle to the Crimson Tide in the Yellowhammer State.

Further cementing their place among the underrated powerhouses, Auburn was the last undefeated SEC champ to get snubbed in the national title discussion during the BCS era. Auburn lost out on a chance to play for the crown in 2004 when the BCS selected USC and Oklahoma to play for the crystal pigskin instead of the Tigers. An SEC championship and a perfect record were not enough to land Auburn a spot against either the Trojans or the Sooners that year.

It wasn’t the first time that Auburn ran the table but went unrecognized. Billingsley recognized the 1913 team that went undefeated as the best in college football that season, but it was an award decades after the fact. In a different way, the 1993 team missed out on a shot at the crown due to sanctions against the program.

Auburn has been a victim of unfortunate timing and uncontrollable circumstances. In a different universe, or even just a different state, we would consider Auburn one of the blue-blood programs of college football. Instead, thanks to playing the little brother in their own home state, Auburn made it on the list as a top-five underrated powerhouse.