The Auburn Tigers are set to play the Vanderbilt Commodores this Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium, but what fans don’t know about these two teams are that they have had a close rivalry throughout their history.
Currently, Auburn leads the series 22-21-1. Despite the Tigers having a more successful history than the Commondores, these teams are always feisty when it comes to playing one another.
Last season, the Tigers trounced the Commodores 31-15 in Nashville. Quarterback Payton Thorne threw for two touchdowns and one interception, while running back Jarquez Hunter scored two on the ground. At the time, Ken Seals was quarterback for the Commodores who threw for one touchdown and an interception.
The last time the Commodores beat the Tigers was in 2012, where they won 13-17 in Nashville. That year, Auburn finished with a record of 3-9, losing all of its conference games. It was the Tigers worst season in a couple decades.
From 1978-2007, Auburn dominated the Commodores, winning all 13 matchups against them. However, from the first ever matchup in 1893 to the Gator Bowl in 1955, Vanderbilt was in control of the series, winning 19 of the 27 matchups. The only tie was in 1912 in Birmingham.
Vanderbilt has yet to win against Auburn in Jordan-Hare Stadium, even though it had still beaten the Tigers in their home state in Montgomery and Birmingham. The last time it did so was in 1948 in Montgomery.
When it comes to championships, Auburn has been more successful at winning those. The Tigers have two claimed national titles in 1957 and 2010, as well as 8 SEC conference titles. Vanderbilt, on the other hand, has won 14 titles from previous conferences, but none from the SEC.
With this Saturday coming up, this series could be altered in any way. Auburn could extend its series lead with an upset win in Jordan-Hare, or Vanderbilt could tie the series up once again if it wins.
Auburn is currently 14th in the conference standings, with a 1-4 record in SEC play and 3-5 overall. On the other side, Vanderbilt is 10th in the conference with a 2-2 record in SEC play and 5-3 overall.
Vanderbilt is having its best season in years. They shocked the world by taking down No. 1 Alabama earlier this season, as well as almost pulling off an upset against No. 5 Texas. If the Commodores win on Saturday, they will play their first bowl game in six years.
Meanwhile, Auburn is in peril of once again becoming ineligible for a bowl game, possibly its second time in 10 years. The Tigers need to win this game to keep their postseason hopes alive, because two more losses this season could take that away.
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze has been devastated by the rise of quarterback Diego Pavia over the course of the last two years while Pavia was at New Mexico State, who the Tigers lost to at home a season ago.
“I’m sick of seeing that quarterback. I’ve had enough of him,” said Freeze. “I got some good clips to show our defense that this is what you are up against. I won’t talk much about last year.”
The Tigers take on Vanderbilt this Saturday, Nov. 2, at 11:45 a.m. CST on SEC Network.
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Albert Osorio is a senior from Hoover, Alabama, who is majoring in journalism. He joined The Plainsman in January 2024.
