AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn fans still remember the atmosphere in Jordan-Hare Stadium last November when Georgia and Alabama came to town. There was an electricity on campus, and once the ball kicked off, there was this deafening roar that stayed constant throughout both games.
The players, they fed off that energy. You could see them dancing on the sideline during the game. After beating Georgia, they went up and celebrated with the student section. And then of course after Alabama, the entire stadium came down to the field to celebrate with the team. But you could argue that there was no better environment in college football last season.
"I just remember that home crowd," Auburn linebacker Darrell Williams said. "On third down, I love how loud it gets. It does something to you as a player, and we just appreciate the fans when they do that. That's why we look forward to playing at home."
That same type of atmosphere is likely to return this weekend when No. 7 Auburn hosts No. 12 LSU in a critical SEC-West showdown.
LSU might not be ranked No. 1 like Georgia and Alabama were last year, but that doesn't downplay the significance of this game and what it means for the rest of this season. The fans know how big it is, and they know how intense this rivalry has been over the years.
"It's always hot, always sweaty, always bloody," senior H-back Chandler Cox said. "It's going to come down to the wire, and we have to expect that. [Playing at home] is going to help a lot. I truly believe we have the best fans in college football and the best stadium in college football. I think that's going to have a big impact in the game."
"You just have to take it to another level playing in front of that home crowd," added Williams. "You have to protect your house."
Protecting its house is something Auburn has done very well of late. The Tigers are currently riding a 13-game home winning streak that began in 2016 with a victory over LSU. It's the fourth-longest streak in the FBS, and during that span, they have outscored their opponents, 539-143, and beaten five ranked opponents.
Under head coach Gus Malzahn, Auburn is 21-1 at home when ranked in the AP poll, and the Tigers are also 7-0 all-time in matchups of AP-ranked teams in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
"When we play at Jordan-Hare, we have the mindset that we don't lose at home," cornerback Jamel Dean said.
"We have a very big advantage with our crowd and our stadium and our atmosphere," added Malzahn. "Our guys play well at home. I think we've got 13 in a row, and we need to keep building on that."
Like Cox said, it's going to be hot and sweaty Saturday, especially with a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff. But it's also going to be loud, and it's going to feel a lot like it did last November.
Greg Ostendorf is a Senior Writer for AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @greg_ostendorf
