The 2006 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Head coach Tommy Tuberville served his eighth season at Auburn, the third longest tenure among current SEC head coaches that year. Offensive coordinator Al Borges returned for his third season to direct the offense and was joined by first-year defensive coordinator Will Muschamp who came from the Miami Dolphins. Auburn played its eight-game home schedule within the friendly confines of Jordan–Hare Stadium, the ninth largest on-campus stadium in the NCAA seating 87,451. The Tigers finished the season with an impressive 11–2 record, finishing second in the SEC Western Division behind the surprising Arkansas Razorbacks. With signature wins over the eventual BCS champion Florida Gators and the final-ranked #3 LSU Tigers, Auburn was the only team that could claim victories over two BCS and top five teams. However, the team also had signature losses to the unranked Arkansas Razorbacks and Georgia Bulldogs. They finished the season ranked #8 in the Coaches Poll and #9 in the AP Poll.
Pre-season Prior to the season, the Auburn Tigers were ranked #6 in the initial Coaches Poll with one first place vote and #4 in the AP with three first place votes. Other rankings include The Sporting News #3, CBSSportsLine.com #3, The Gold Sheet #2, Phil Steele #2, Insiders' Football News #2, and VegasInsider.com #4.
Based on a favorable schedule featuring the most difficult opponents in home games and with returning starters Brandon Cox at quarterback and Heisman Award-candidate Kenny Irons at tailback, Auburn was predicted to be in contention for a BCS bowl and possible national championship. CollegeFootballNews.com projected Auburn to be playing against USC in the BCS National Championship Game, a match-up many argue should have been played in 2004.
Prior to the season, Auburn switched uniform providers, ending its long association with Russell Athletic for a new agreement with UnderArmour. In addition, UnderArmour became the official footwear provider for the team.
Schedule
Rankings
Coaching staff Name Position Yearsat AU Alma mater (Year) Tommy Tuberville Head coach 7 Southern Arkansas University (1976) Al Borges Offensive coordinatorQuarterbacks 2 California State University, Chico (1982) Hugh Nall Offensive line 7 University of Georgia (1983) Eddie Gran Running backsSpecial teams 7 California Lutheran (1987) Steve Ensminger Tight ends 7 Louisiana State University (1982) Greg Knox Wide receiversRecruiting coordinator 7 Northeastern State (1986)Northeastern (1990) Will Muschamp Defensive coordinatorSecondary 0 University of Georgia (1994)Auburn University (1996) Don Dunn Defensive tackles 7 East Tennessee State (1976)Union College (1980) Terry Price Defensive ends 7 Texas A&M (1992) James Willis Linebackers 0 Auburn University (2003)
Game summaries
Washington State
This game marked the first meeting between Auburn and Pac-10 opponent Washington State, although Auburn was 4–3 in previous Pac-10 matchups. Auburn entered the game looking to defend its preseason rankings and avoid stumbling as in a similar situation in 2003. The Cougars, coached by Bill Doba, traveled to Auburn hoping to test the Tiger defense under new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp with a high-flying passing game featuring returning QB Alex Brink and potential All-American receiver and first-round draft choice Jason Hill. Auburn met the challenge, forcing Wazzou to go three-and-out on their first two possessions including three sacks of Brink in those first six offensive plays. Auburn stalled on their first two drives and settled for John Vaughn field goals to take a 6–0 lead.
The Cougars took advantage of their next possession, scoring a touchdown with 2:10 left in the first quarter to take the lead. It was the last time they led. In the second quarter, Auburn scored on each of its three possessions, including two more field goals and a Brad Lester touchdown to take a 19–7 lead to the locker room at halftime.
Auburn return man Tristan Davis took the second half kickoff for a 37-yard return to the Auburn 42-yard line, and on the first play from scrimmage, Kenny Irons broke open 58-yard touchdown run to put the game beyond reach of the Cougars. Washington State scored a touchdown in the third quarter and AU added two more TDs in the fourth to make the final score 40–14. Auburn held Jason Hill to only four receptions for 18 yards and intercepted Brink once to hold the Cougs potent offense in check. Kenny Irons finished with 183 yards rushing, his ninth career 100-yard game.
SEC Offensive Player of the Week: Kenny Irons
Mississippi State
Auburn traveled to Starkville for the fifteenth time to meet SEC-West foe Mississippi State under the direction of third-year coach Sylvester Croom. The Bulldogs hoped to shut down Auburn's rushing game and force Auburn QB Brandon Cox to beat them. While State did manage to hold Irons to 79 yards, Cox responded passing for 249 yards completing 18-of-27 and two touchdowns, including Rodgeriqus Smith's first. Kicker John Vaughn had a career-long 55-yard field goal and tailback Brad Lester added 41 yards rushing and two touchdowns to the offensive team effort to help Auburn to a 34–0 shutout over the Bulldogs. Croom had yet to beat Auburn and Auburn is now 56–22–2 all-time against Mississippi State with a current six-game streak.
SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week: Ben Grubbs
LSU
Auburn defensive back Eric Brock tackled LSU receiver Craig Davis at the Auburn 5-yard line on the game's final play to preserve a 7–3 victory. The game's only touchdown was scored on a 1-yard run by Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox with 4:53 remaining in the 3rd quarter. The game was the lowest scoring game at Auburn since 1973.
SEC Special Teams Player of the Week: Kody Bliss
Buffalo
This game marked the first meeting between Auburn and MAC representative Buffalo. The Bulls, under head coach and former Nebraska star quarterback Turner Gill, played inspired football against the banged-up Tigers keeping the game close until late in the third quarter. Auburn played without Kenny Irons and with starting QB Brandon Cox slowed by injuries from the battle against LSU. Highly touted true freshman running back Ben Tate entered the game for Auburn in the fourth quarter and showed Tiger fans a glimpse of the future rushing for 114 yards on seven carries and scoring touchdowns on runs of 42 and 28 yards.
SEC Special Teams Player of the Week: Matt Clark
South Carolina
Auburn running back Kenny Irons, who began his college football career at South Carolina, rushed for 117 yards and scored two touchdowns as the third-ranked Tigers survived a furious comeback by the upset-minded Gamecocks and posted a 24–17 victory. The Tigers led 14–10 at halftime and took the second half kick-off. After a 24-yard field goal by senior kicker John Vaughn, Auburn surprised the Gamecocks by recovering an on-sides kick. The Tigers retained possession of the ball for the remainder of the third quarter, and Irons scored the second of his two touchdowns on the first play of the fourth quarter.
SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week: Tim Duckworth
Arkansas
Unranked Arkansas came into Jordan–Hare Stadium and claimed an easy 27–10 victory over the second-ranked Tigers. Sophomore running back Darren McFadden rushed for 145 yards, including a 63-yard run for a second quarter touchdown to lead the Razorbacks. Felix Jones rushed for another 104 yards to add to the Arkansas attack. Freshman quarterback Mitch Mustain's 50-yard touchdown pass to Monk in the first quarter set the tone for the Hogs, who won at Auburn for the third time since they joined the SEC in 1992. Auburn was limited to 213 yards total offense, and the Tigers managed only 60 rushing yards.
Florida
ESPN's College GameDay was onsite as part of ESPN's Full Circle multi-channel coverage of this top ten matchup as Auburn defeated the Florida Gators 27–17 in what proved to be the only defeat for the eventual BCS national champions. The Auburn offense did not score a touchdown, but reserve running back Tre Smith scored a touchdown after recovering a blocked punt, and defensive back Patrick Lee recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown on the game's final play to seal the victory. Auburn's other points came from a safety in the second quarter and four field goals from senior kicker John Vaughn. The win extends the Tigers lead in the series to 41–38–2. The loss of the #2 Gators marked the fourth time during the 2006 season that the team ranked #2 in the major polls had gone down in defeat, following Texas in week 2, Notre Dame in week 3, and Auburn in week 6.
The Tigers' block of a Gators punt and return for a touchdown was named the ESPN Game-Changing Play of the Week; it later became the Game-Changing Play of the Year.
ESPN.com also named this game the "Atmosphere of the Year".
SEC Defensive Player of the Week: Quentin Groves FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week: Quentin Groves
Tulane
Tulane, a former, but charter, member of the SEC, traveled to meet Auburn on the Plains for only the second time ever and the first time since 1955. Although the Green Wave entered the game leading the all-time series record 17–13–6, that success dates from the early twentieth-century, when Tulane was a football powerhouse. In this meeting, Auburn narrowed the series gap with a 38–13 victory.
With their top three running backs hobbled by injuries, quarterback Brandon Cox and true freshman tailback Ben Tate both stepped up with strong performances and to end Auburn's seven-quarter offensive touchdown drought. Cox passed for 212 yards and three touchdowns completing 16 out of 19 pass attempts while Tate rushed for 156 yards on 26 carries with one touchdown for an average of six yards per carry.
After stopping Tulane's opening possession, Auburn drove 74 yards for the opening touchdown by Brad Lester before he left the game after aggravating an existing injury. Tulane responded with an 80-yard touchdown driver of their own capped off by a 23-yard TD pass from Lester Ricard to Damarcus Davis with just over six minutes left in the first quarter. Redshirt freshmen tight-end Tommy Trott scored for AU just after starting the second quarter to make the score 14–10. Just after starting the next drive, Tulane's Richard fumbled and Auburn's Karibi Dede recovered it and advanced it to the Tulane 10-yard line setting up Cox's next touchdown pass to Tre Smith. The teams traded field goals just before halftime and then Auburn pulled away with two more touchdowns in the third quarter before taking a knee on Tulane's 10-yard line to run out the clock and end the game.
Auburn senior placekicker John Vaughn was perfect on the day completing five extra point attempts in addition to his field goal to take sole possession of Auburn's career scoring record with 284 points after entering the game tied with Carnell Williams.
SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week: King Dunlap
Ole Miss
Auburn traveled to Oxford, Mississippi to take on Western-division foe Ole Miss for the teams' 31st meeting. In addition to leading the series 22–8, Auburn entered the game with a 7–1 record in Oxford. Behind an extremely balanced offensive attack, Auburn overcame two first-half turnovers to survive the trip with a 23–17 victory.