Since the year 2000, Auburn football has had its share of highs and lows.
The Tommy Tuberville era began the millennium for Auburn football and ended with a higher ranking in the Associated Press poll than its initial spot. Tuberville would go on to lead the Tigers to several high finishes during his tenure that lasted nine seasons.
Gene Chizik spent a few seasons at Auburn but would lead Auburn to its highest-ever ranking in the polls in 2010. Following Chizik, Gus Malzahn would take Auburn to the top ten on several occasions.
Will the same trend continue with Hugh Freeze as he begins his tenure in 2023?
Here’s a look at how Auburn’s history in the AP poll since 2000.
2000
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- Started: Not ranked
- Finished: No. 18
The first season of the Tommy Tuberville era got off to a great start as the Tigers won its first five games on its way to a 9-4 campaign. Auburn won the SEC West but fell to Florida in the SEC Championship Game. Auburn also fell to Michigan in the Citrus Bowl.
2001
AP Photo/Dave Martin
- Started: Not ranked
- Finished: Not ranked
After winning nine games in 2000, the Tigers took a step back in 2001 by finishing 7-5. The highlight of the 2001 season was when Auburn upset No. 1 Florida in October at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
2002
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
- Started: Not ranked
- Finished: No. 14
Auburn’s 2003 season got off on a sour note as they dropped the season opener to USC, 24-17 in Los Angeles. The Tigers would bounce back by winning nine games, which included a 13-9 victory over Penn State in the Capital One Bowl.
2003
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- Started: No. 6
- Finished: Not ranked
In what was projected to be a great season for Auburn, the Tigers began the 2003 season with an 0-2 record and were outscored by USC and Georgia Tech, 40-3. Auburn would go on to win eight games, including a Music City Bowl victory over Wisconsin.
2004
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- Started: No. 17
- Finished: No. 2
The season that Auburn was predicted to have in 2003 actually took place in 2004. Auburn finished 13-0 with a Sugar Bowl win over Virginia Tech. The Tigers were held out of the BCS National Championship game this season due to USC and Oklahoma also boasting undefeated records in 2004.
2005
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports Copyright © 2005 John Reed
- Started: No. 16
- Finished: No. 14
While Auburn did not repeat 2004’s success in 2005, the Tigers managed to win nine games before dropping its’ season finale to Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl.
2006
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- Started: No. 4
- Finished: No. 9
The 2006 season was one of five seasons since 2000 that Auburn remained in the AP poll for the entire season. In Auburn’s 11-2 season, the Tigers never fell below No. 15.
2007
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
- Started: No. 18
- Finished: No. 15
In what was an odd season all around for college football, Auburn managed to stay in the AP poll for 69% of the 2007 season. Auburn dropped an upset loss to USF in week two, which was part of the reason that the Bulls reached No. 2 in 2007. Auburn ended up earning wins over Florida, Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and Alabama in the regular season and defeated Clemson in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
2008
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
- Started: No. 10
- Finished: Not ranked
The 2008 season ended in disappointment for Auburn as they finished with a 5-7 record. The season would result in the termination of head coach Tommy Tuberville and would lead to the hiring of Gene Chizik.
2009
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
- Started: Not ranked
- Finished: Not ranked
Auburn saw an improvement from its 2008 woes by finishing 8-5 with a bowl win over Northwestern. Auburn was ranked only once in 2009, and it was after the Tigers kicked off the campaign by winning five straight games.
2010
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
- Started: No. 22
- Finished: No. 1
For the first time since 1957, the Auburn Tigers were on top of the college football world by defeating Oregon, 22-19 in the BCS National Championship Game. It was also the first time since 1957 that Auburn finished as the No. 1 team in the AP poll.
2011
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
- Started: No. 23
- Finished: Not Ranked
Auburn had to reload in 2011 after its national championship run a year prior. Auburn opened the season with a narrow win over Utah State and endured tough losses to rivals LSU, Georgia, and Alabama. However, Auburn would earn a bowl win by defeating Virginia in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
2012
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports.
- Started: Not ranked
- Finished: Not ranked
Auburn failed to reach the AP poll at any point in the 2012 season for the first time since 1999 after the Tigers took a nose dive. Just two years removed from winning a national championship, Auburn finished 3-9 and fired its head coach.
2013
Harry How/Getty Images
- Started: Not ranked
- Finished: No. 2
The Auburn Tigers got back on track in 2013 by finishing with a 12-2 record, and an appearance in the BCS National Championship Game. Auburn entered the AP poll for the first time on Oct. 13 after a 62-3 win over Western Carolina. Auburn’s biggest jump of the season came a week later after the Tigers defeated No. 7 Texas A&M at Kyle Field.
2014
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- Started: No. 6
- Finished: No. 22
Auburn got off to another great start in 2014 by winning its first five games and remained in the top 10 of the AP poll for the first 12 weeks of the season. The Tigers lost four of its final five games to end the season ranked No. 22.
2015
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
- Started: No. 6
- Finished: Not Ranked
For the second-straight season, Auburn began the season ranked No. 6, but quickly fell out of the poll after beginning the season with close wins over Louisville and Jacksonville State. Auburn ended with an 8-5 record and a 2-6 record against SEC foes.
2016
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
- Started: Not Ranked
- Finished: No. 24
Auburn missed out on being mentioned in the preseason poll and opened the year with a 1-2 record. However, Auburn went on a six-game winning streak which placed them in the AP poll beginning after Auburn’s 38-14 win over Mississippi State.
2017
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
- Started: No. 12
- Finished: No. 10
The 2017 season was a fun one for Auburn fans to experience, as Auburn remained in the top 25 of the AP poll every week of this season. Auburn ranked as high as No. 6 in 2017, and ranked as low as No. 21. The biggest drop of the season came after Auburn’s 27-23 loss to LSU on Oct. 14, when Auburn fell from No. 10 to No. 21.
2018
© Mark Zaleski/ Tennessean.com
- Started: No. 9
- Finished: Not Ranked
Auburn’s 4-2 record through six games kept them in the top 10, but two straight losses to Mississippi State and Tennessee kicked the Tigers out of the AP poll by week eight of the 2018 season.
2019
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- Started: No. 16
- Finished: No. 14
The 2019 season is the last season where Auburn remained in the top 25 of the AP poll for the entirety of the season. The Tigers spent a total of six weeks in the top 10, with their biggest jump being six places from No. 16 to No. 10 after the season-opening win over Oregon at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
2020
Joe Robbins/Getty Images
- Started: No. 11
- Finished: Not Ranked
The COVID-shortened season saw Auburn play a 10-game SEC schedule. The Tigers, who finished 6-5 with a bowl loss to Northwestern, ranked as high as No. 7 before a 27-6 loss to Georgia on Oct. 2 began a downward spiral that would see them exit the polls completely six weeks later.
2021
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
- Started: Not Ranked
- Finished: Not Ranked
Auburn spent nine weeks ranked in the AP poll in 2021, ranking as high as No. 12 after an impressive win over Ole Miss in late October. Auburn would lose its next two games to Texas A&M and Mississippi State to end their run in the polls.
2022
Michael Chang/Getty Images
- Started: Not ranked
- Finished: Not ranked
Like in 2012, the Auburn Tigers failed to reach the AP Poll top 25 at any point in the 2022 season. Auburn ended the season with a 5-7 record and fired head coach Bryan Harsin after sustaining a 41-27 loss to Arkansas on Oct. 29.
