SEC Football: Most overrated programs of last 10 years

Oct 10, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers fans in the student section are painted to spell SEC united in support of the South Carolina Gamecocks who hosted a home game at Tiger Stadium due to flooding in South Carolina. LSU defeated South Carolina 45-24. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jan 2, 2017; New Orleans, LA, USA; Auburn Tigers defensive lineman Andrew Williams (79) reacts during the Tigers loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2017 Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Oklahoma won 35-19. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 2: Auburn Tigers

Tigers: Six AP Top 25 Preseason Appearances. Average final rank differential, -5.16

If it’s not bad enough for Auburn to be looked at as Alabama’s little brother, they also have to deal with being perpetually overrated when they do get a shot.

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In Auburn’s defense, they have had a couple of seasons where they began unranked and at least finished in the final rankings, but this is a discussion about starting the season ranked and being able to hold on.

In 2015, the Tigers began the year ranked No. 6, amid some pretty inflated ideas of quarterback play, and finished the year unranked with a dismal 7-6 record. The Gus Bus was missing a few wheels by the end of that deflating year.

However, Auburn did manage to lift themselves from a preseason No. 22 ranking all the way to a national championship in 2010, so points to the Tigers for that (but not enough points to take them off this list).

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