Auburn game-by-game predictions: Running the table possible, but brutal path awaits
By Rob Maxwell
SEC Championship or waiting game?
If Auburn loses to Alabama in the Iron Bowl, the only way it can get to the SEC Championship Game is if the loss to the Crimson Tide is the Tigers’ only loss and Alabama has at least two conference losses.
Looking at Alabama’s schedule, the three toughest games outside the Iron Bowl are Texas A&M and Mississippi State in Tuscaloosa and LSU in Baton Rouge. It’s tough envisioning Alabama losing two of those games, but crazier things have happened.
If that’s the case, Auburn advances to Atlanta (likely against Georgia) and plays for a spot in the College Football Playoff like it did (and lost) last season.
If both Auburn and Alabama reach the Iron Bowl undefeated and Alabama wins, all is not lost for Auburn. With wins against top-10 teams Washington and Georgia, Auburn should remain within the top five or six teams in the rankings, if not still inside the four-team playoff field.
With a Georgia win, Auburn could slide ahead of Alabama for a playoff spot the way the Crimson Tide did last season after losing to Auburn in the season finale and watching the Tigers fall in the SEC title game.
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Or, Alabama could beat Georgia, bumping the Bulldogs and freeing up a space for Auburn, which would have a win against the Bulldogs in Athens.
A lot has to happen for things to play out that way. Auburn needs to avoid the injury bug and have players step up and become bigger playmakers on offense and defense. And, of course, a little luck never hurts.
That’s a lot of “what-ifs” and we’ll find out soon enough. It’s almost game week.