Auburn football: Northwestern most likely bowl game opponent

Auburn football seems destined for a 6-4 finish and a bowl game to finish out 2020. Northwestern is their most projected opponent according to national reporters and analysts.

It hasn’t been an ideal season for Auburn football, but a victory in a bowl game always gives a positive spin to whatever disappointment preceded it. This holiday season would be the perfect time for the Tigers to deliver holiday cheer in the form of a victory over whoever the FBS committee puts in front of them.

According to al.com, it looks likely that Northwestern will be the team put in front of them:

"— Armed Forces Bowl vs. Washington, 11 a.m. CT, Dec. 31 in Fort Worth, Texas (ESPN)— Citrus Bowl vs. Northwestern, noon CT, Jan. 1 in Orlando, Fla. (ESPN)— Citrus Bowl vs. Northwestern, noon CT, Jan. 1 in Orlando (The Athletic)— Citrus Bowl vs. Northwestern, noon CT, Jan. 1 in Orlando (Stadium)— Citrus Bowl vs. Northwestern, noon CT, Jan. 1 in Orlando (CBS Sports)— Citrus Bowl vs. Wisconsin, noon CT, Jan. 1 in Orlando (Sporting News)— Citrus Bowl vs. Iowa, noon CT, Jan. 1 in Orlando (Bleacher Report)— Citrus Bowl vs. Northwestern, noon CT, Jan. 1 in Orlando (247Sports)Most common destination: Citrus Bowl in Orlando (seven), Armed Forces Bowl in Forth Worth (one).Most common opponent: Northwestern (five), Wisconsin (one), Iowa (one), Washington (one)."

As the projection, well, projected, the Citrus Bowl seems like the most likely destination for Auburn football this bowl season. The annual matchup features teams from the Big 10 and the SEC, and this season, in particular, would be an excellent culture clash–what with stadiums being filled with cardboard cutouts up north while teams in the SEC had fans cheering on their teams in the stands in person.

A matchup against Pat Fitzgerald’s disciplined Northwestern group would be a fun test for the Tigers to end the season on. Given the Wildcats’ strong season, which has seen them edge out the red-hot Iowa Hawkeyes (winners of five straight since the loss) and the Wisconsin Badgers, Northwestern would likely be favored against Gus Malzahn’s squad. Coincidentally, the Hawkeyes and Badgers are the other two teams projected to potentially match up against Auburn football in the Citrus Bowl.

Bo Nix would be facing the 15th-ranked defense in Northwestern, with the 20th ranked rush defense likely giving Cartavious “Tank” Bigsby and Shaun Shivers fits in this hypothetical bowl hopeful. The Wildcats sport the sixth-ranked scoring defense, and Auburn has had troubles cracking the code of some of the top defenses like Alabama and Texas A&M, against which they averaged 17.5 points per game.

On the off-chance they don’t land in the Citrus Bowl, perhaps they could face a mystery conference opponent in the Armed Forces Bowl, projected here to be the Washington Huskies of the Pac-12.

Either way, it seems as though the underwhelming Tigers could see the postseason and end 2020 on a high note.

And to that, we got two words for ya…

WAR EAGLE!