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Auburn football projected for Gasparilla Bowl against surprising Pac-12 team

By Andrew Hughes

Auburn football was projected to go up against a surprising Pac-12 team for the Gasparilla Bowl this December in Tampa, Florida Mandatory Credit: The Montgomery Advertiser
Auburn football was projected to go up against a surprising Pac-12 team for the Gasparilla Bowl this December in Tampa, Florida Mandatory Credit: The Montgomery Advertiser /
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While it was just one game, it’s definitely good news that the national media is starting to project Auburn football to win at least six games and qualify for a bowl game this coming December during bowl season.

The Tigers took down Mercer this past Saturday during a predictable Week 1 demolition that was suspended midway through the third quarter. That break could have played a role in the Bears finding a backdoor cover late, but the offensive attack from Fred Payton–who lit up Morehead State Week Zero for 248 passing yards and four touchdown throws–was always going to pose a threat to the 31.5-point spread.

Their inclusion in a bowl game indicates some faith that Bryan Harsin’s new coaching staff has a chance to right the ship from the end of last season, or at least win three games outside of the Mercer, San Jose State, and Western Kentucky mismatches.

That isn’t even the most surprising aspect of Action Network’s bowl projections, though. That would go to the shocking Pac-12 team that is similarly being pegged to go at least .500 in the regular season, Arizona.

Why Auburn football would be a projected 11.5-point favorite against Arizona

One non-spread covering win against Mercer already has pundits going back on their exclusions of Auburn football during bowl season. That could have more to do with teams on the 2022 Tigers schedule looking less-than-threatening (LSU and Mizzou certainly come to mind) during Week 1 than it has to do with AU’s FCS tune-up. As for the bowl projection, I may have misspoke before. The most surprising element of Action Network’s predictions is Auburn being an 11.5-point favorite.

There’s a simple reason for that: Arizona’s nonexistent program momentum from combined five wins the past three seasons and the Wildcats’ near unanimous expectation to challenge the likes of Colorado, Stanford, and Cal to finish in the Pac-12 cellar this season.

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