For die-hard Auburn football fans who love traveling to every game with the team, last season was a bother.
When your closest road games are in South Carolina and Louisiana, that’s a problem. Clemson and LSU were the most manageable trips, but, of course, Auburn turned in losses there. The other three away games — Missouri, Arkansas, Texas A&M — averaged to be
2018 knows no such traveling difficulties. Complete with a season opener back at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (eek!), Auburn’s road slate this coming season allows fans the opportunity to say they went to every football game, given they’re able.
Washington Huskies (Atlanta) — Sept. 1, 2018
Just when Auburn thought it might be getting off the hook with the Clemson series concluding, another playoff contender enters from stage (very) north.
The colossal Week 1 throwdown in the Benz should be one of, if not the most, influential game of the week. Both teams have playoff aspirations this season behind stellar defenses and a Heisman hopeful under center.
Luckily for Tiger fans, this should be a pseudo home game. It’s a two-hour trip to Atlanta from campus, and the game will more than likely be one of ESPN’s
There’s plenty to do in Atlanta before the game, and although traffic will be dreadful heading home, a victory will inject momentum into Auburn’s upcoming homestand.
Mississippi State Bulldogs (Starkville, Miss.) — Oct. 6, 2018
Auburn fans will be catching football fever at this point, coming off a four-game homestand against Alabama State, LSU, Arkansas and Southern Miss, the longest stretch of consecutive home games since 2016. The showdown in Starkville could be an 11 a.m. CST kick like it was two seasons ago, or it could be primetime game if both teams are playing well. If it’s the former, the four-hour drive becomes that much more daunting.
No matter the kick time, Auburn students should make
Ole Miss Rebels (Oxford, Miss.) — Oct. 20, 2018
A Jordan-Hare date with Tennessee for the first time in 10 years splits the Mississippi games for Auburn, but a trip to Oxford shouldn't differ much from Starkville. Ole Miss is closer to a five-hour drive from Auburn, but the Tigers haven't played a day game at UM since 2012.
Oxford boasts one of the nation's top tailgating traditions in "The Grove," and even if you can't find Rebel students to house you, Ole Miss's beautiful campus is one for the bucket list.
Georgia Bulldogs (Athens, Ga.) — Nov. 10, 2018
Athens is often compared to LSU in terms of its rambunctious and wily fanbase, but if you’re willing to weather the storm, Sanford Stadium is a must-see.
UGA is arguably the hottest program in the country and is rapidly joining the likes of Clemson and Alabama as perennial national title contenders. If nothing else, seeing a budding dynasty in person in The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry should be reason enough to make the three-hour drive from Auburn, as there’s nearly no doubt this will be a night game.
Much will ride on this matchup, including the pecking order of the conference and, ultimately, the SEC Championship teams. Auburn will be out for revenge after an embarrassing loss in Atlanta last year, and Georgia should be hungry for the same reason (different game). If Auburn can pull it off, you’ll want to be there.
Alabama Crimson Tide (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) — Nov. 24, 2018
If you thought last year’s “Amen Corner” was bad for Auburn, how about playing both national championship teams on the road?
Two of Auburn’s final three games of the regular season
Playing the defending champs on their turf is no small task, but as any football fan in the state knows, the past goes out the window in the Iron Bowl.
Friends are easy to find in Tuscaloosa, and if you don’t have any from your high school, try making some connections.
For all the flak the respective schools catch in the fall, there is a mutual respect between the two — and probably a shared hatred of Georgia. A lot of Auburn fans grew up rooting for the Crimson Tide and vice versa. Once the conversation moves past Saturday night’s game, a trip to T-Town can be one for the books.
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Nathan King, senior in journalism with a minor in business, is The Plainsman's sports editor.
