It was a season to forget. The fewest wins since 2012. But the 5-7 record only really tells half the story.
The regular season saw a firing of a head coach only for an old hero take the interim reins before a creditable but ultimately unsuccessful Iron Bowl.
With Auburn fans now more interested in the upcoming Super Bowl odds, thanks to there being
no chance of a bowl game, 2022 goes down the most disappointing season in a decade.
Of course, if you recall, things began brightly, with back-to-back non-conference wins against Mercer and San Jose State to start September. But Penn State loss was a warning of worse to
come.
The homecoming win over Missouri the next week turned out to be the last until the middle of
November – and Harsin’s last. After predicted losses to LSU and Georgia, a further loss to struggling Arkansas was the end of Harsin. His was the shortest Auburn coaching tenure in nearly a century.
And then came Caddy.
The new energy that came with Auburn rallying around Carnell Williams brought an almost an immediate improvement, as Mississippi State was taken to overtime. But the Tigers ended up losing 39-33, slumping to 3-6. There were continued signs of improvement, though.
Unsurprisingly for a team now under one of the most prolific running backs in Auburn history, the Tigers began running the ball more – and racked up back-to-back wins for the first time since
the start of the season.
The wins over Texas A&M and Western Kentucky built up much-needed confidence heading into the Iron Bowl.
Auburn continued to run against Alabama, breaking records and recording two 100-yard
rushers in three straight games. Aided by questionable refereeing, the weakened Tide was still too strong.
But after the season Auburn fans endured, 49-27 felt slightly less miserable than it might have.
And, now, a new era has dawned — the Hugh Freeze SEC redemption story. Here’s to 2023.
from The War Eagle Reader https://www.thewareaglereader.com/2022/12/a-look-back-at-the-2022-auburn-tigers/
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