10 Best Out-of-Conference Opponents for Future Auburn Football Schedule

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Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports /

8. BYU

Stadium: LaVell Edwards Stadium (63,470)

Best Tradition: Y Mountain

All-Time vs. Auburn: Never played

Positives:

  • A steady program that recently became Independent, BYU is always in or near the Top 25 and is willing to schedule major power programs
  • Provo is, despite what they say in the movie “Fletch”, a beautiful city
  • Have you seen the views from the stadium? I would get distracted by the scenery and miss half the game
  • Like rival Utah State, BYU would bring a lot of dedicated fans to Jordan-Hare

Negatives:

  • Lose-lose situation for Auburn? If Auburn wins, they beat a mid-major. If Auburn loses? Well, you get the point
  • I’m just going to go ahead and assume that the tailgating at BYU is not what Auburn football fans are used to

This is my off-the-wall selection for potential opponents, beating out rival Utah due to BYU having a more established tradition and history. If this happens, we would be able to tell Marvin and Velma hello.

7. Michigan

Stadium: Michigan Stadium (109,901)

Best Tradition: Winged helmet

Jan 1, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines player raises his helmet during the celebration of defeating Florida Gators 41-7 to earn the 2016 Citrus Bowl championship at Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium. Michigan Wolverines defeated Florida Gators 41-7. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines player raises his helmet during the celebration of defeating Florida Gators 41-7 to earn the 2016 Citrus Bowl championship at Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium. Michigan Wolverines defeated Florida Gators 41-7. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

All-Time vs. Auburn: 1-1

Positives:

  • Most all-time wins in college football combined with the largest stadium in college football
  • The tradition and history is off the charts
  • Give Malzahn a chance to stick it to Harbaugh for the satellite camps
  • Traditional powerhouses going against each other

Negatives:

  • Michigan has been down since Lloyd Car left, going through two coaches since 2007 and now on their third.
  • Michigan Stadium, for all the pomp, circumstance and people, has been described as the “quietest 109,000 people”. Not sure that is a good sign.
  • “The Victors”, Michigan’s fight song, is the Big Ten equivalent of Tennessee’s Rocky Top, in that they play it so often you will have it in your head for weeks afterward.

This, if Michigan regains their status as a national title contender, would be a national spotlight game. The exposure would definitely help Auburn football with recruiting up north and, let’s face it, playing in the Big House would be a great experience. Would Gus and Harbaugh ever schedule a game against each other? We shall see.

Next: Florida State and Oklahoma