SEC Football: Preseason power rankings for 2022 season
By Matt Melton
12. Auburn Tigers
Week 1 Opponent: Mercer
Entering year two under head coach Bryan Harsin, Auburn enters the 2022 season as the No. 12 team in our SEC Football power rankings.
The Tigers are coming off their second consecutive six-win season, one in which they finished 6-7 with a 3-5 record in SEC Football play. Making their ninth consecutive bowl appearance, the 2021 season however also marked the first losing season for the Tigers since 2012, as well as only their fourth since 1999.
Because of this, along with the number of players having departed the program via transfer during the offseason, there is simply no way to avoid the fact that this an important year for Auburn. Yes, the schedule is tough, but what the Tigers do have going for them to make a winning season on the Plains happen is the returning talent at key positions.
Headlining Auburn’s 2022 roster is arguably the SEC’s top running back in Tank Bigsby, while TJ Finley and John Samuel Shenker are two other notable names returning on offense. The defense will also return a few notable names as well, and will feature one of the conference’s more underrated pass rushing units, a group led by Derick Hall.
The Tigers should begin the year on a winning note as well, with Auburn likely to cruise to a week one win over Mercer inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.