If you’re an Auburn fan, then the National Championships and SEC Championship seasons are proudly remembered in Tigers history. They symbolize some of their greatest moments on the field — when unity and hard work earned them their highest achievements in one season.
To commemorate these accomplishments, we will look back at each of Auburn’s National crowns and eight SEC titles to understand what made these years so special for the players, coaches, and fans alike. Join us as we revisit Auburn Football’s proudest moments!
How Auburn Pulled Off the 2010 National Championship
The 2010 college football season was one for the books! Led by second year head coach Gene Chizik and future Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn serving as the offensive coordinator, Auburn completed a 12-0 regular season including a WDE 28-27 win at No. 11 Alabama. The offense was led by Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton and Auburn survived a September 18th, 27-24 OT win over Clemson to gain momentum.
The Tigers championship drive was again put to the test with a narrow 37-34 road win over Kentucky and a 24-17 triumph over LSU two weeks later. Throughout the season, the Tigers displayed offensive firepower. Auburn led the SEC in scoring offense (42.7 points per game) and ranked No. 1 in rushing offense and total offense.
An 8-0 conference record placed Auburn against the Gamecocks for the SEC marbles in Atlanta. In the SEC championship game, Auburn defeated South Carolina 56-17 with Cam Newton was named MVP. But what happened next sealed their fate as 2010’s top ranked team.
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Matchup Against Oregon for the BCS Championship
The stage was then set for a showdown with undefeated Oregon in Glendale Arizona for the BCS National Championship Game. While Oregon had plenty of firepower on offense, Auburn relied heavily on its defense, which limited the Ducks to just 19 points despite their 449 total yards of offense.
In addition to stellar defense, running back Michael Dyer had 143 rushing yards against Oregon and was named MVP of the game after his 37-yard run late in fourth quarter set up Wes Byrum’s game winning field goal as time expired.
Following the season, Auburn made a strong statement in the NFL Draft. The Carolina Panthers drafted Newton with the #1 overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft and the Detroit Lions selected DT Nick Fairley with the No. 13 overall pick. DT Zach Clayton and OT Lee Ziemba were drafted in the 7th round.
Auburn’s 1957 National Championship – A Look Back
In 1957, the Auburn University football program reached its highest peak in history. Led by legendary head coach Ralph “Shug” Jordan and future Georgia coaching legend Vince Dooley as an assistant coach, the Tigers put together a perfect 10-0 record including a 7-0 SEC record.
With a dominating defense and an unstoppable offense, the Tigers outscored their opponents 207-28 en route to winning their first national championship. Let’s take a look back at how they achieved this historic accomplishment!
Punishing Tigers Defense
The 1957 Tiger defense was nothing short of incredible, shutting out six opponents while allowing only 28 points all season. To start the season off right, they defeated No. 8 Tennessee in the season opener by a score of 7-0.
The Tigers continued their dominance on both sides of the ball throughout the season with victories over No. 19 Florida and No. 17 Mississippi State, ending their regular season with an impressive 40-0 shutout victory over longtime rival Alabama.
End Jim Phillips was widely recognized for his performance that year and was named consensus first-team All-American in addition to being drafted 5th overall in the 1958 NFL Draft by LA Rams.
Auburn Gets 1957 AP Nod
Despite winning every game during their championship run, Auburn still did not receive unanimous recognition as National Champions from both major polls at the time – AP & UPI – due to politics among other factors. Ultimately, the AP selected Auburn as No. 1 while Ohio State (despite having one loss) was named UPI’s champ.
Auburn SEC Championship Seasons
Auburn captured its first SEC title in 1957 and has accumulated eight SEC Championships. The 1988 and 1989 seasons were co-champion years while the other six were outright titles. Former Tigers head coach Pat Dye led half of the Tigers conference titles including a three-year span where Auburn (87-89) that the Tigers sat atop the SEC standings.
| Year | Coach | Overall Record | SEC Record |
| 1957 | Shug Jordan | 10-0 | 7-0 |
| 1983 | Pat Dye | 11-1 | 6-0 |
| 1987 | Pat Dye | 9-1-2 | 6-0-1 |
| 1988 | Pat Dye | 10-2 | 6-1 |
| 1989 | Pat Dye | 10-2 | 6-1 |
| 2004 | Tommy Tuberville | 13-0 | 8-0 |
| 2010 | Gene Chizik | 14-0 | 8-0 |
| 2013 | Gus Malzahn | 12-2 | 7-1 |
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