With the point spread creeping closer and closer in Auburn's direction, one would think a major upset bid is on the horizon down on The Plains with major rival Georgia coming to town. In the final hours leading up to the latest rendition of The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, Georgia is laying 3.5 points to Auburn. While playing at Jordan-Hare is not that easy for the visitor, it is living on a past reputation...
The Auburn we used to know under Gus Malzahn is firmly in the rearview mirror. He would use his former team's raucous home-field advantage to help the Tigers pull off improbable upsets. Look no further than The Prayer at Jordan-Hare and Kick Six in back-to-back weeks to stun Georgia and Alabama en route to a national championship game appearance in 2013. That was 12 years ago, y'all.
In the wake of Auburn firing Malzahn, the Tigers have been losing a ton of games at home every year.
- 2021: 4-3
- 2022: 5-3
- 2023: 3-4
- 2024: 4-4
- 2025: 2-0
Since moving on from Malzahn after a 6-4 season during COVID, Auburn has gone only 18-14 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Every year since parting ways with their formerly successful head coach, Auburn has lost at least three home games. Although the Tigers are 2-0 at home so far this season, it would not be surprising to see the other shoe drop in the coming weeks, possibly losing to Georgia...
Let's just say if this game where to be held in Athens that Auburn would have virtually no chance in it.
Jordan-Hare Stadium is not living up to its reputation as a tough venue
Auburn's lack of relative success at home has everything to do with not getting the head coach right. Moving on from Malzahn was questionable a the time, but soon became regrettable once Bryan Harsin proved to be an unmitigated disaster. While it looked as though things would change under Hugh Freeze, he is only one game above .500 at home since taking over the program back in 2023.
The SEC is chock full of tough road environments, but Jordan-Hare is living on its past reputation big time. Keep in mind that many of these home victories since 2021 have not come against Power Four competition. In fact, if we were to remove from the equation all games at home vs. Group of Five or FCS competition, Auburn has gone a horrible 5-14 at home vs. Power Four competition since 2021.
Simply put, Auburn is beating up on cupcakes at home to hover around .500 in recent years. The have only beaten five conference opponents at home in the four-plus years since moving on from Malzahn. At some point, we have to believe this will flip for the Tigers, but may not against Georgia this season. They have other losable home games this year vs. Missouri and Alabama. They should beat Kentucky.
So if Auburn keeps up the trend of losing three games at home annually, Georgia should have this.