Kudos, Roll Tide Wire. Despite covering Auburn football’s detested rivals Alabama, the USA Today ‘Bama newswire, RTW’s Clint Lamb decided to let facts get in the way of a good story.
No homerism was present when the Crimson Tide beat writer ranked the top 5 returning RBs in the SEC and had Tank Bigsby atop the list at #1. The Tiger rusher didn’t boast the gaudiest stat-line compared to some of his contemporaries, but he clearly showed more in his runs than the competition.
Isaiah Spiller (Texas A&M) and Kevin Harris (South Carolina) outpaced Bigsby significantly, both topping 1,000 yards in 2020. Unlike that duo, though, Bigsby has the top team in both divisions of the SEC on the schedule year in and year out (Alabama and Georgia) to deal with.
The preseason hype for Bigsby is real, with Bleacher Report feeling he has the potential to be a Heisman candidate and PFF also believing he is the top returning running back in 2021. Taking it a step further, PFF believes he is one of the top returning sophomores overall.
247Sports hasn’t had the same enthusiasm for the star runner, unfortunately. Bigsby was snubbed in their SEC top player rankings, angering Tiger fans in the process. Then again, they ranked him as the #7 RB overall, so there aren’t any anti-Tank conspiracies worth giving thought to.
Ultimately, what is said in the preseason will have absolutely no effect on what actually occurs on the field outside of the potential bulletin board material it can provide for players that feel slighted by such press.
If Bigsby is going to will Auburn football to an improved record in the SEC West, it will happen regardless of whether or not publications expect him to or not.
Fly War Eagle just can’t wait to see him and the rest of the Tigers march down a jam-packed Donahue Drive to take the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium this season.