Auburn Football: Best and worst case scenario for 2018

Auburn football surprised many by winning the SEC West last season. What are the best and worst case scenarios for the Tigers in 2018?

Gus Malzahn has found a way to coexist in the same division as Nick Saban. Although he hasn’t had quite the same amount of success as the head coach at his rival school, Auburn poses a constant threat to the mighty Alabama Crimson Tide and 2018 will be no different.

Auburn stunned many when they knocked off Georgia and Alabama during the course of the regular season last fall. The Tigers thoroughly controlled both games, earning themselves a trip to the SEC Championship Game and coming potentially within one game of the College Football Playoff only to fall to UCF in the Peach Bowl to end the season.

Those Playoff aspirations remain entering 2018. Will the Tigers be able to do enough to earn a second consecutive Iron Bowl win, something that hasn’t happened since Saban came to Tuscaloosa? Here’s how Auburn’s best and worse case for 2018 shakes out:

Best case scenario

• Sep 1 – vs (N) Washington – W
• Sep 8 – vs Alabama State – W
• Sep 15 – vs LSU – W
• Sep 22 – vs Arkansas – W
• Sep 29 – vs Southern Miss – W
• Oct 6 – @ Mississippi State – W
• Oct 13 – vs Tennessee – W
• Oct 20 – @ Ole Miss – W
• Nov 3 – vs Texas A&M – W
• Nov 10 – @ Georgia – L
• Nov 17 – vs Liberty – W
• Nov 24 – @ Alabama – W

Result: 11-1

Quarterback Jarrett Stidham is already receiving Heisman consideration and being discussed as a potential first-round NFL Draft selection. If he can bring his A-game every week there are few teams that will be able to beat the Tigers.

Their marquee games against Georgia and Alabama are both on the road this year, and even in the best case scenario winning both seems like a stretch. They take the more important one, defeating Alabama, and Malzahn gets one more crack at Georgia in Atlanta for a trip to the Playoff.

Worst case scenario

• Sep 1 – vs (N) Washington – L
• Sep 8 – vs Alabama State – W
• Sep 15 – vs LSU – W
• Sep 22 – vs Arkansas – W
• Sep 29 – vs Southern Miss – W
• Oct 6 – @ Mississippi State – L
• Oct 13 – vs Tennessee – W
• Oct 20 – @ Ole Miss – W
• Nov 3 – vs Texas A&M – W
• Nov 10 – @ Georgia – L
• Nov 17 – vs Liberty – W
• Nov 24 – @ Alabama – L

Result: 8-4

Auburn has way too much talent to envision a “wheels fall off” scenario. It’s possible that the Tigers could face only four ranked teams all season. Even chalking up losses to those teams, including a road upset in Starkville against Mississippi State, Auburn still winds up with a decent season.

Unfortunately for Malzahn, 8-4 isn’t “good enough” at Auburn. Heck, 9-3 or 10-2 will raise some eyebrows for the wrong reasons as well. Beating Alabama is of utmost importance once again. If he can do that, all bets are off.