Auburn football: Week 3 Penn State matchup makes Big Ten history

In 2016, the SEC made a deal with the other Power Five conference to stage at least one game per season. Since then, not a single Big Ten team has made its way to Jordan-Hare Stadium — and before that, Auburn football had yet to host a Midwest powerhouse on the field Bo Jackson, Pat Sullivan, Cam Newton, and so many other Tigers legends created everlasting memories on.

That all changes when Penn State comes to town this Saturday for a highly anticipated contest between the No. 22 Nittany Lions and the unranked Tigers, who appear to be hinting at an orange-out that could include a significant amount of orange apparel for Auburn football.

Auburn football must avoid a home-and-home sweep at the hands of Penn State

Like last year, Week 3 will be an SEC-Big Ten clash for Auburn football. Unlike last year, both teams won’t be ranked in the AP Top 25, though it should be noted that a win would most certainly vault the Tigers into it for the first time in 2022.

The Happy Valley version of the matchup last year featured a highly criticized targeting call on Zakoby McClain and an even more widely-criticized Mike Bobo fourth-and-goal end zone fade in the fourth to clinch the first loss of the Bryan Harsin era.

AU now has the home-field advantage, and can build serious momentum in the SEC West with LSU and Texas A&M already going down with some brutal early-season losses. Win, and there is serious momentum towards a 5-0 start marching into Athens to take on the defending champions October 8th. Lose, and then the Mizzou matchup grows unsettling for any Tiger fan hoping for a Year 3 of the Bryan Harsin era.