3 teams Auburn football will finish ahead of that are ranked in coaches’ poll

Team #2 Auburn football will surpass in rankings: Northwestern

While Northwestern got the better of the Tigers on New Year’s Day during the Citrus Bowl, AU could have the last laugh in 2021.

Northwestern made the highly controversial Big Ten Championship game in 2020 during the conference-only schedule due to adjusted rules that allowed Ohio State to make it despite not playing in the necessary six games to qualify. Their non-conference schedule will include lay-ups against Duke and FCS Indiana State but also features a potential trap game against the Ohio Bobcats, who are 11-5 in the last two years in an increasingly competitive MAC.

Payton Ramsey, the QB who torched Kevin Steele’s defense this past January, is gone, and it’s not yet clear who will replace him. Former Clemson 5-star QB recruit Hunter Johnson may not be able to grasp the brass ring, and South Carolina transfer Ryan Hilinski could end up starting.

Northwestern’s success could come down to taking all three matchups against Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa. The Wolverines and Badgers games are both on the road, which could be bad news for the Wildcats’ projections in 2021.