Auburn football fans should not plan a trip to any of the locations hosting a New Year’s Six bowl during the 2021/22 bowl season. At least if they want to see their team play.
Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Kentucky, and Arkansas would all have to seriously falter in the final two weeks for AU to be chosen for either the Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, or Peach Bowl.
After the Tigers’ 43-34 loss to Mississippi State this past Saturday–which saw Auburn up 28-3 in the first half–the best-case scenario would be another appearance in the Citrus Bowl, with the Outback Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, Gator Bowl, Music City Bowl, Texas Bowl, Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Liberty Bowl, Birmingham Bowl, or Independence Bowl all looking more likely.
Which of those they get chosen for will ultimately be secondary to the opponent in front of them, and Fly War Eagle is here to provide an idea of who that will be.
Here are 5 potential bowl opponents for the Tigers during the 2021/22 bowl season:
Auburn football potential bowl opponent #1: Wisconsin
The Badgers last played Auburn on New Year’s Day in 2014, picking up a 34-31 win in overtime at that year’s Outback Bowl. Before that, Wisconsin picked up a two-touchdown win at the 2006 Capital One Bowl in Orlando.
If these two teams were pit against each other this bowl season, it’d mark the fourth straight Big Ten bowl game opponent for the Tigers and first SEC bowl game opponent for the Badgers since Auburn.
With matchups against Nebraska and Minnesota still on the docket, there’s a chance Wisconsin could make a run to the Big Ten title game as the current B1G West leaders. Upsetting Ohio State, Michigan State, or Michigan could have the Badgers in a bigger bowl game, but they should end up right around Auburn in the standings if both split their final two games.
The under would be the lean for this hypothetical matchup, and with Bo Nix not under center, UW might be the favorite.