Auburn football’s expectations have certainly risen from last season. The evidence can be seen through preseason rankings from various publications.
The most recent outlet to submit its rankings for public viewing is The Athletic, which released its 134 rankings earlier this week. The Auburn Tigers earn a spot in the top 40 by checking in at No. 34 in the initial ranking.
The Tigers, who ended last season ranked No. 59 in Chris Vannini’s rankings, take a giant step forward following a solid offseason headlined by reputable transfer portal additions and solid high school recruiting. Auburn falls one spot below USC and one spot above Florida in the first ranking of the season.
Auburn will face three teams in The Athletic’s top 10, all on the road. Georgia takes the No. 1 spot while Alabama checks in at No. 5 and Missouri rounds out the top 10. In all, five of Auburn’s 12 opponents will begin the season in the top 25. Joining Georgia, Alabama, and Missouri are Oklahoma (No. 15) and Texas A&M (No. 23).
Kentucky is the first opponent on Auburn’s schedule to be ranked lower than them. The Wildcats begin the season at No. 44. Auburn’s toughest nonconference foe will be California, who checks in at No. 50. Ten of Auburn’s 11 FBS opponents are ranked in the top 100, with the only outlier being New Mexico, who sits at the No. 122 position.
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