2 days ago
Auburn football revises history, now claims nine national championships
Auburn football has posted several impressive seasons in its history; however, it has claimed just two national championships.
Those records were rewritten on Tuesday as Auburn athletics and Athletics Director John Cohen have officially decided to claim seven additional national championships and three more conference championships, bringing its overall total to nine and 15, respectively.
In addition to its 1957 and 2010 national championships, Auburn will now officially claim championships from 1910, 1913, 1914, 1958, 1983, 1993, and 2004. Auburn Undercover, which was one of several outlets to break the news, shared a statement from Cohen regarding the decision to rewrite the history books and recognize more titles.
"For too long, Auburn has chosen a humble approach to our program's storied history – choosing to recognize only Associated Press national championships. Starting this fall, we have made the decision to honor the accomplishments of our deserving student-athletes, coaches, and teams from Auburn's proud history. Our visible national championship recognitions now align with the well-established standard used by the NCAA's official record book and our peers across the nation."
Here is a deep dive into Auburn's newly claimed national titles, and where the Tigers finished each season in the Associated Press poll.
1910
Auburn, then known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute, finished the 1910 season with a 6-1 overall record and a 5-0 mark in SIAA play, tying Vanderbilt for the conference title. Auburn stumbled on the road at Texas that season, 9-0, but it did not affect the Maxwell Ratings and College Football Rankings from selecting Auburn as national champions.
1913
Auburn dominated the 1913 season by finishing 8-0 and outpacing their opponents, 224-13. Its margin of victory over its foes is what led the Tigers to win the 1913 title, as Billingsley's MOV (margin of victory) listed Auburn as the 1913 national champions.
1914
Auburn also went unbeaten in 1914, not allowing a single point. Their lone blemish on their schedule was a scoreless tie with rival Georgia. James Howell's Power Ratings System recognized the Tigers as national champions this season, giving Auburn credit for its dominating season.
1958
One year after Auburn won its first "official" title, before Tuesday's announcement, Auburn built another unbeaten season, finishing 9-0-1 on the year and winning the national title thanks to a nod from David Montgomery.
1983
The first Auburn national championship of the "Associated Press poll" era took place in 1983 when the Tigers finished No. 3 in the final AP poll of the season behind Nebraska and Miami. Nebraska lost to Miami in the Orange Bowl that season, which was the de facto National Championship game. Despite not playing for the title, Auburn received seven first-place votes, 2.5 more votes than the Cornhuskers.
1993
Auburn's 1993 season was unforgettable, even if only a small chunk of the fan base got to witness the season live. The team was under probation following a pay-for-play scandal, which eliminated Auburn's chances of playing in front of a televised audience and playing in a postseason game. Despite the penalties, Auburn finished the season with an 11-0 record in Terry Bowdon's first season at the helm and was crowned national champions by the National Championship Foundation. Auburn finished No. 4 in the AP poll that season behind Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Florida State. Auburn was the only unbeaten team to finish the 1993 season ranked.
2004
The College Football Playoff would have come in handy during the 2004 season as four teams concluded the regular season without a loss. Auburn, USC, Oklahoma, and Utah were deserving of a chance to play for a title, but only the Trojans and Sooners earned the right to compete for it. Auburn concluded its SEC Championship-winning season with a 16-13 win over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, and four players from that roster went on to become first-round picks in the 2005 NFL draft. The Tigers finished No. 2 in the AP poll that season behind national champion USC.
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