Auburn football non-conference schedule ripped for being 'godawful shamelessly easy'

Hugh Freeze's Auburn football program, although more specifically John Cohen and the rest of the athletic department's brain trust, was accused of putting together a "godawful shamelessly easy" non-conference schedule for the 2024 season.

"My Lawd! What a godawful shamelessly easy non-conference schedule," Roll Bama Roll's editor prefaced before saying, "The 8th place team from the SWAC, a so-called 'Power' team that is 0-1 in bowl games over the last four season, and quite possibly the two worst FBS teams in the nation for 2024."

The eighth place SWAC team is Alabama A&M, which is a nearly 50-point underdog for Week 1. The Power 4 team that was questioned, though perhaps unfairly, was Cal. The two teams deemed the worst in FBS college football were New Mexico and UL-Monroe.

The Lobos, despite blowing a 17-point fourth quarter lead to FCS Montana State, showed out in Week 1 nearly winning as a two-score underdog. They have proven to have fight in them. The jury is out on the Warhawks.

Is this schedule really as easy as is being advertised? Probably not. But the non-conference portion matches the conference portion to make what will be Auburn's easiest schedule in years.

Auburn football got good luck of the draw with first SEC schedule after Oklahoma and Texas additions

Without the SEC West, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Arkansas, and Alabama won't be on the schedule every year. That LSU and Ole Miss aren't on Auburn's 2024 schedule, replaced by the likes of Kentucky and Vanderbilt, means the Tigers caught a break for the first time in a long time. Drawing Oklahoma instead of Texas can't be understated either.

With the schedule looking more favorable than ever in the NIL era, eight wins is a realistic goal for Auburn in 2024. There will be plenty of heat on Freeze if this team falls short of that with the caliber of opponent they have in front of them.