The Auburn athletics year officially was underway two weeks ago, with the return of Auburn soccer, led by Karen Hoppa, who enters her 25th season at Auburn.
Last week the action continued with Auburn volleyball returning following a year of unprecedented success. Now, the crown jewel of Auburn athletics makes its triumphant return on Saturday.
Auburn football, led by first year head coach Hugh Freeze, will take center stage in the hearts and minds of Auburn fans everywhere. A new era, a new sense of pride and new expectations roam free on the Plains. For some, Auburn football has been down over the last two to four years.
However, for the most part, the bad is behind Auburn, and the dawn of new leadership is on the horizon. I have said it before, and I will say it again, the alignment at Auburn University is at an all-time high. President Chris Roberts and Director of Athletics John Cohen are very compatible with each other, and that trickles down to each coach and their respective programs.
Cohen is seen as a pioneer in the SEC and NCAA ranks. Even in less than a year on the job, he has taken big leaps of faith, and has made the tough decision to put Auburn where it needs to be in the realm of collegiate athletics.
On Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CST, 88,043 fans will fill the seats of Jordan-Hare Stadium to see their Tigers take on the UMass Minutemen.
I can’t wait to see what happens moments, and even days before kickoff.
The white tailgate tents will start to assemble as early as Wednesday morning across campus.
Recreation vehicles (RVs) and campers will begin to roll into town on Thursday. The locals will fill Baumhower's Victory Grille on Bent Creek for the first in-person Tiger Talk of the year on Thursday evening.
Traffic will begin to become more hectic on Friday morning, and folks will shop in Downtown Auburn, and form a line through Toomer's Drug Store to purchase some iconic Toomer’s lemonade.
The sun will rise on Saturday morning, and folks, decked in the traditional orange and blue, will gather across Auburn to celebrate the beauty of Auburn football.
The grills will be fired up, the TVs will be turned on and the spirits will be flowing. At 12:30 p.m., the people will gather along Donahue Drive for the first Tiger Walk of the year.
Following that, the seats will begin to be filled. I can’t wait to hear the PA announcer direct our attention to a tradition that is uniquely Auburn. Seeing the War Eagle fly will send shockwaves through the entire atmosphere.
After they strike up the band, it will be time to see the 2023 Auburn Tigers run out onto Pat Dye Field for the first time.
We will then see what “Auburn being Auburn” truly means. If the Tigers secure the victory, fans will gather at the Toomer’s Oaks and turn downtown Auburn into a winter wonderland.
Oh the joy I feel about the return of Auburn football. The Auburn Family has been sitting and watching mediocrity for some time, and now they are ready to see what Auburn football is really about.
Welcome back, Auburn football. The community, the students, the Auburn Family have been patiently awaiting your arrival, and they are eager to return back to the pinnacle of success.
There’s absolutely no better time to be an Auburn Tiger than right now.
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Michael Floyd, junior in journalism, has been with The Plainsman since Spring 2021. He is a native of Brewton, Ala., an can be followed on Twitter here.
