The Bodda Getta

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jadennis said...

I was thinking last night about how indifferent I am right now at game time. I'm just kind of numb to what I'm seeing. It's because I've come to grips with the fact that we're no good. So I see what I expect to see when the game gets rolling, and all I can do is shrug it off or shake my head.

But I think part of that comes from the fact that subconsciously I know it's temporary. It won't last. "Bad football" and "Auburn" haven't gone together for any extended length of time in our long history, especially since the first few years that Baby Boomers were "booming" out of wombs in the 1940's.

Make no mistake about it, Auburn football will return...and history tells us it won't take long....whether it's under Chizik or the next guy.

Auburn hasn't won fewer than 8 games in more than two consecutive seasons since the first three years of the Barfield era in 1976, 77, and 78. Since 1979, 34 seasons and counting, Auburn has not failed to win at least 67% of our games in more than two consecutive seasons.

Futility may creep in occasionally, but it doesn't stay long.

To find more than two consecutive LOSING seasons, you have to go back to ole Earl Brown's short tenure from 1948 to 1950. But we can all thank Earl for losing enough fast enough to have us in position to hire Shug in 1951.

Not only has Auburn been a winning program for a long, long time, we have done it against the best. There are considered to be six traditional power programs in the SEC. They have all played each other to varying degrees of success through the years, some more frequently than others.

SEC Power Programs VS each other: GAMES PLAYED396 - Auburn 349 - Alabama 340 - Georgia 311 - Florida 261 - Tennessee 238 - LSU

No wonder LSU is 16 games ahead of Auburn on the All-time wins list...they have played 158 FEWER games against the top SEC programs!

SEC Power Programs VS each other: WINNING PERCENTAGE.587 - Alabama (196-135-18) .500 - Auburn (192-192-12) .484 - Georgia (156-167-17) .483 - Tennessee (118-127-16) .481 - Florida (146-158-7) .441 - LSU (101-129-8)

Except for Alabama, Auburn has at least 36 more wins vs the power teams than any other program (more than 70 more than both Tennessee and LSU).

Alabama has a winning record against all of the other five programs, but Auburn is the ONLY other program to have a winning record against at least THREE of the five programs (against Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee). Florida, LSU, and Tennessee have winning records against two programs, while Georgia has a winning record against only one program (Florida).

- The last three coaches to lead the program have managed at least one perfect season.

- Five of the last six coaches have led Auburn to at least one Top 5 finish.

- 35 (60%) of the last 58 seasons have ended with Auburn ranked in the Top 25.

- Nearly HALF of the last 58 seasons (28) have ended with Auburn ranked in the Top 15.

- An average of 1 out of every 3.5 seasons out of the last 58 have ended with Auburn ranked in the Top 10.

- Auburn is one of only SIX programs to be ranked at least four times in EACH of the last 6 decades (joining Alabama, Texas, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and USC)

- Auburn is one of only FOUR programs to have perfect seasons posted by at least FIVE different coaches (joining Alabama, Michigan, and Texas)

Regardless of who the coach is at Auburn in 2013 or 2014 or beyond, history says we're likely to rise back towards the top of football. No matter what happens tomorrow in Nashville, the Auburn football program is still the Auburn football program. The pains and embarrassment of a year or two cannot erase the foundation that was laid by George Petrie, John Heisman, and Mike Donahue, and continued with Shug and the coaches that have followed in the last half century.

Even though we may watch some painful outcomes in the coming weeks, rest assured that history shows us the future of Auburn football, and this is not it. It will get better. It will survive, and no question, it will thrive.

I Believe Auburn and Love IT...4 Life! You should prepare yourself to live with the consequences of your decisions, whatever they may be.

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ALLiDOisWIN said...

So in other words - Since 1954:

- Auburn has consistently had the toughest schedule in the SEC, still evident today. - Despite this scheduling, Auburn has the 2nd highest winning %. - Bama has us beat in total wins by 4 games, though in almost 50 less games against the other 5 of the Big 6. - More than half the time Auburn has been ranked - A little less than half the time Auburn has been ranked in the Top 15. - More than a quarter of the time Auburn is ranked in the Top 10. - Auburn should be considered an elite program along with Alabama, Texas, ND, OSU, USC, OK, NE, UM, etc, but isn't.

It's great to be an Auburn Tiger, today and every day!

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Au1980 said...

Nice stuff.

I heard the local Bham sports talk show hosts on 97.3 say AU is 11th in winning % nationally for the last 25 years over such programs as LSU, Texas, Notre Dame, Al and others.

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