The Auburn Tigers, one of the most storied programs in college football, have long been recognized for their intense rivalry games, passionate fanbase, and a history rich with highs and lows. However, as the 2024 season unfolds, the team finds itself grappling with a combination of unfortunate circumstances that has led many to consider them one of the unluckiest teams of the year. With high expectations heading into the season, Auburn has faced an array of misfortunes that have left both players and fans scratching their heads, wondering what could have been if only the breaks had gone their way. From devastating injuries to questionable officiating calls, Auburn’s 2024 season has been filled with frustratingly close losses, an inability to close out games, and a seemingly endless stream of misfortune.
Auburn’s football program entered the 2024 season with renewed optimism. After a series of coaching changes and rebuilding efforts in the previous seasons, the Tigers were expected to be more competitive. With Hugh Freeze taking the reins as head coach in 2023, the program seemed to have the right mix of coaching talent, returning veterans, and exciting new recruits that could propel Auburn back to national relevance. The 2024 season marked a crucial year for Freeze to solidify his tenure and prove that Auburn could compete at a high level within the tough SEC West.
Heading into the season, the Tigers had high expectations. Quarterback play had been a consistent issue in recent years, but Freeze’s offensive philosophy was thought to be a perfect fit for Auburn’s talented roster. The team had a solid offensive line, a capable running back room led by star Tank Bigsby, and an intriguing crop of wide receivers who had the potential to make a difference. On defense, the Tigers were also stacked, featuring a veteran-laden secondary and an impressive front seven capable of stifling even the toughest offenses in the country.
Despite these promising pieces, the Tigers’ 2024 season has been a tale of misfortune from the very beginning. While it’s common for every team to face some challenges throughout a long season, Auburn’s collection of unfortunate events has been so frequent and impactful that it has raised eyebrows across the college football world.
Injuries have always been a part of football, but the sheer volume and severity of injuries Auburn has suffered in 2024 have been staggering. From key starters going down in crucial moments to critical backups failing to fill the void, the Tigers’ injury woes have been one of the primary drivers of their bad luck.
Perhaps the most notable injury came early in the season when starting quarterback Holden Geriner, who had been touted as the future of the program, went down with a shoulder injury in a non-conference game. While the injury was not season-ending, it sidelined Geriner for several critical weeks during a challenging stretch of games. His absence forced the Tigers to rely on inexperienced backups, which contributed to a string of close losses that might have been avoidable had Geriner been healthy.
In addition to the quarterback situation, Auburn also lost several key players on both sides of the ball. On defense, All-SEC linebacker Wesley Steiner went down with a knee injury midway through the season, leaving a huge void in the middle of the Tigers’ defense. Steiner’s leadership and playmaking ability were sorely missed, and his absence forced Auburn to shuffle personnel in an attempt to fill the gap. On the offensive side, Auburn lost one of its top receivers, who had been poised for a breakout year, to a season-ending ankle injury. These injuries, combined with others that affected both depth and performance, created a snowball effect of challenges that Auburn couldn’t seem to overcome.
In college football, a few pivotal plays can determine the outcome of a game, and Auburn’s 2024 season has been littered with heartbreaking losses that have come down to the wire. In several games, the Tigers were on the verge of pulling off upsets or securing victories but were undone by unfortunate circumstances, missed opportunities, and a series of events that seemed to be working against them.
One of the most crushing losses came in a primetime matchup against a top-ranked SEC opponent. Auburn fought hard throughout the game, and with just minutes remaining, they had the ball and a chance to score the game-winning touchdown. However, a critical fumble on a well-executed running play handed the ball back to the opposing team, and Auburn’s defense, despite playing valiantly all game, couldn’t stop the clock in time to get one final shot at victory. The fumble was an example of the kinds of mistakes that Auburn had been plagued with all season, and it seemed to sum up their year perfectly: close, competitive, and yet always just out of reach.
In another nail-biter, Auburn faced off against a rival in the Iron Bowl. With the game tied late in the fourth quarter, the Tigers had a chance to win it in regulation, but a controversial pass interference call on a crucial third down nullified a potential game-winning touchdown. The penalty was hotly debated by fans and analysts alike, with many believing that Auburn had been unfairly penalized. The Tigers, unable to recover from the setback, eventually lost in overtime. The call only added fuel to the fire of Auburn’s unlucky streak, and fans were left wondering how many more close calls they could endure.
These losses were not isolated incidents. Throughout the season, Auburn repeatedly found itself in tight games, only to fall short in heartbreaking fashion. Whether it was a missed field goal in the final seconds, a controversial officiating call, or a key injury at the wrong time, Auburn was constantly on the wrong side of fate.
