Auburn ready for Kickoff
ATLANTA — One game does not make or break a season — especially the opener.
Then again, Chick-fil-A Kickoff Games have often been an accurate predictor of where the season is headed for both teams involved.
Keep that in mind when No. 6 Washington faces No. 9 Auburn today. The ramifications of this contest on the first day of September might still be lingering come December.
“The fact that we are playing a really high-profile game brings a little bit more to the table on both sides from a national standpoint,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said.
While Washington coach Chris Petersen warned of placing too much importance on a single game — “We can’t make it bigger than it is,” he said — he is no doubt mindful the outcome likely will have a huge impact how far the Huskies and the Tigers go this season.
The very first of these neutral-site games in Atlanta, played a decade ago, marked Alabama’s return to national prominence. The Nick Saban-coached Crimson Tide romped to a 34-10 victory over Clemson, a result that also signaled the end of the line for Tommy Bowden, who didn’t last the season.
The following year, Alabama returned to Atlanta to open with a 34-24 victory over Virginia Tech, launching its run to the first of five national titles with Saban at the helm. The Crimson Tide followed a similar path last season, starting with a dominating 24-7 victory over Florida State at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on the way to finishing No. 1.
It works the other way, too, as Bowden and others have discovered.
Auburn, for instance, opened the 2012 season with a 26-19 loss to Clemson and went on to finish 3-9, its worst season in 60 years and one that coach Gene Chizik his job. A year ago, Florida State lost its starting quarterback to a season-ending injury in the loss to the Tide, leading to a disappointing 7-6 campaign that ended with coach Jimbo Fisher bolting for Texas A&M.
As for Auburn and Washington, both are looking to bounce back from disappointing finishes.
Auburn knocked off Georgia and Alabama to earn a spot in the Southeastern Conference championship game, only to lose to the Bulldogs in a rematch with a trip to the College Football Playoff on the line. Forced to settle for the Peach Bowl, the Tigers were beaten again by Central Florida.
Washington stumbled in road losses to Arizona State and Stanford, falling out of national contention and even a shot at the Pac-12 title. The Huskies closed with another loss to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl.