New Mexico State jokes aside, Auburn football seen as threat in 2024

Though the Auburn football team had some major losses in 2023, the Tigers could have a big 2024 season

The Auburn football program had a pretty tough first season under head coach Hugh Freeze. Though the Tigers majorly improved their recruiting, there was still a lot of work to do. Including the Music City Bowl, Auburn ended up with a losing record, 6-7.

Despite having brought in a monster of a recruiting class ahead of the 2024 season, many are setting very low expectations for the Tigers this season. According to On3 Sports' JD PicKell, Auburn football is being underestimated due to their shocking loss to New Mexico State at the end of last year's season.

"I think social media is having a little bit too much fun with Auburn and what happened last year with the New Mexico State loss, and they barely won six games and all of that," PicKell said, per Athlon Sports."I'm looking at the rest of what happened this past season and I'm like, really took Alabama down to the final play... should have beat Alabama. They take Georgia to the final drive. If both of those games and if is a major variable here but if both of those games swing a different direction, how are we talking about Hugh Freeze and their roster?"

Though it doesn't matter in the rankings or stats, the Tigers played both Georgia and Alabama very closely, and had the ability to win those games. If those three games were won, things look very different for Freeze and the Tigers, just as PicKell says.

With the new additions to the roster, the coaching change-ups, and the new schemes, it's possible that the Tigers have what it takes this year to show that they really are on the way back up after several years of a downward spiral.