Auburn football continues to do what Alabama football has been afraid to do since 1944

The Auburn football program is helping the state of Alabama's Group of 5 and FCS schools make more money on one game than some make over the course of an entire season by frequently playing in-state schools.

Alabama football hasn't played an in-state team not named Auburn since the 1944 season, when the Crimson Tide played what is now known as Samford, as AL.com's Creg Stephenson notes.

"Auburn has now played or has scheduled games with every D1 team in the state except Troy," Stephenson prefaced before saying, "Alabama has not played an in-state team other than Auburn since the 1940s."

With Auburn taking eight of the top 10 spots in the state of Alabama's 2025 recruiting class, and working on flips for current Ohio State recruits Na'eem Offord and Zion Grady, it's AU that's prioritizing the state of Alabama.

Especially with "Husky Harsin" running the show in Tuscaloosa and bringing on many of his staff members from Washington, all who have ties in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest.

Auburn football subsidizing other programs in the state

By propping up programs in the past like Alabama State, Samford, Alabama A&M, and Jacksonville State, and doing the same for South Alabama in 2025 and North Alabama in 2028, with games at Jordan-Hare Stadium in recent years, Auburn has benefitted football fans across the entire state of Alabama.

The Crimson Tide have not been operating in that same good faith. Instead, the Bammers have been booking themselves trips to Tampa (USF) and Miami (The U) in recent seasons. and beating up on Group of 5 and FCS teams in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Why send the taxpayer's money elsewhere?

Auburn is for Alabamians. Alabama is not. Go figure.