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Things are going to be much different in Auburn for the Tigers, and there’s a whole lot to think about with 2011 Auburn football predictions. Typically, when a team goes undefeated and wins the national championship, they are going into the next season as one of the top teams to beat. That’s certainly not the case with 2011 college football predictions heading into this season. The Tigers won it all, but will have a whole different look than they did last season, and the expectations will be different as well.

Last year at Auburn, it was all about Cam Newton, of course. He came, he survived controversy, and he conquered. The transfer led the Tigers to an undefeated season, the SEC championship and a thrilling title game victory over Oregon. He also hauled in the Heisman trophy as the game’s best player of the year along the way. And if he wasn’t in the headlines enough for his play on the field, his potential pay-for-play scandal off the field was the big story of the season.

Alas, Newton is gone, off to the NFL where he was the number 1 pick in the draft. That means the Tigers will be a completely different team, with a different look and feel, game plan and strategy, and more. That means that even though they are your defending champions, 2011 Auburn football predictions aren’t as high as they otherwise would be. Of course, in addition to Newton leaving, they lost either key players as well, such as disruptive defensive tackle and fellow first round draft choice Nick Fairley.

Even with these losses, many preseason 2011 college football predictions have Auburn hovering around the top 20 or 25 teams in the nation. You don’t win the BCS national championship with one player alone, after all, it takes a whole squad. The defense is stingy, and there is talent on both sides of the ball. So many Tigers fans making 2011 Auburn football predictions think that an SEC championship could still be possible.

That may be a little bit grandiose, though. To do that, they’ll have to beat two consensus top 5 teams in arch rival Alabama, and LSU. They’ll also have to deal with tough top 20-25 teams like Mississippi State, Florida and Arkansas, not to mention South Carolina, a dark horse title contender! That brutal schedule could spell trouble for Auburn, and you never know how it’s going to shake out in the SEC. In fact, they play South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida and LSU in four back to back weeks in the month of October!

It’s tempting for some folks and their 2011 college football predictions to say no Cam Newton, no nothing for Auburn, and set them as a mediocre at best squad. It’s tempting for others to say they’ll surprise everyone out there and contend for the SEC crown. It’s hard to say, but with that brutal schedule, there will be a great Auburn game to watch every weekend in the fall, and that’s a sure thing.

Check out the expert college football predictions for September 3, 2011.

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