While Auburn was unranked at the end of the season in both major polls, several
BCS participating computer rating systems such as Sagarin (#22),[2] Massey (#22),[3] Peter Wolfe (#25),[4] Howell (#24),[5] David Wilson (#21),[6] Team Rankings (#18)[7] and the FACT Foundation (#21)[8] included the Tigers in their final top 25 rankings.
The offense finished the season ranked 2nd in the SEC and 16th in the nation (with just under 432 yards per game),[9] while the defense struggled with depth issues and finished 68th and 2nd worst in the SEC.[10] The pass efficiency defense however was 3rd best in the SEC and ranked 22nd in the nation.[11]
Coaching change
On December 3, 2008, Auburn University announced that 10-year head coach
Tommy Tuberville would not return for an eleventh season. The coaching search ended less than two weeks later when Auburn announced
Iowa State's second-year head coach and former Auburn defensive coordinator
Gene Chizik as the Tigers' next head coach.[12] Auburn had interviewed at least eight coaches, including
Buffalo's
Turner Gill and
TCU's
Gary Patterson.[13]
Schedule
Auburn's schedule consisted of eight
Southeastern Conference opponents (four home, four away) and four non-conference opponents. Auburn opened the season against
Louisiana Tech. It was the twelfth matchup between the schools and the first meeting since 2004. The Tigers also hosted
Mid-American Conference opponent
Ball State for the third time. Also,
Football Championship Subdivision foe
Furman visited for the first time since 1956. Auburn began conference play in the second week, hosting
Mississippi State. The following week, the Tigers hosted
West Virginia, the second game in a home-and-home series between the two teams. The Tigers had previously faced all twelve regular season opponents, with Auburn holding the all-time series lead going into the season against all but
Alabama (33–39–1), LSU (19–23–1), and West Virginia (0–1).
While Auburn was unranked at the end of the season in both major polls, several
BCS participating computer rating systems such as Sagarin (#22),[2] Massey (#22),[3] Peter Wolfe (#25),[4] Howell (#24),[5] David Wilson (#21),[6] Team Rankings (#18)[7] and the FACT Foundation (#21)[8] included the Tigers in their final top 25 rankings.
The offense finished the season ranked 2nd in the SEC and 16th in the nation (with just under 432 yards per game),[9] while the defense struggled with depth issues and finished 68th and 2nd worst in the SEC.[10] The pass efficiency defense however was 3rd best in the SEC and ranked 22nd in the nation.[11]
Coaching change
On December 3, 2008, Auburn University announced that 10-year head coach
Tommy Tuberville would not return for an eleventh season. The coaching search ended less than two weeks later when Auburn announced
Iowa State's second-year head coach and former Auburn defensive coordinator
Gene Chizik as the Tigers' next head coach.[12] Auburn had interviewed at least eight coaches, including
Buffalo's
Turner Gill and
TCU's
Gary Patterson.[13]
Schedule
Auburn's schedule consisted of eight
Southeastern Conference opponents (four home, four away) and four non-conference opponents. Auburn opened the season against
Louisiana Tech. It was the twelfth matchup between the schools and the first meeting since 2004. The Tigers also hosted
Mid-American Conference opponent
Ball State for the third time. Also,
Football Championship Subdivision foe
Furman visited for the first time since 1956. Auburn began conference play in the second week, hosting
Mississippi State. The following week, the Tigers hosted
West Virginia, the second game in a home-and-home series between the two teams. The Tigers had previously faced all twelve regular season opponents, with Auburn holding the all-time series lead going into the season against all but
Alabama (33–39–1), LSU (19–23–1), and West Virginia (0–1).