Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We’ve made it friends. Since the conclusion of the 2021 season in Birmingham, the focus has been around this game. Auburn and Penn State. A rematch of last year’s whiteout game up in State College. From the Tiger’s perspective, this is the first true chance to get answers to the questions that have surrounded the program for months now. The Nittany Lion’s are looking to make yet another statement against an SEC foe, and this time down South. Auburn and Penn State are rather similar, as land grant research universities and football programs. Historically, both schools have two recognized national titles, Penn State has a better all time record of 911-404-42, and Auburn has more conference championships with 12. Currently, the Tigers and Nittany Lions both have to deal with their top two rivals reaching the College Football Playoffs in the last two seasons and both play in the two hardest conference divisions in the sport. Even the teams this season are eerily similar heading into this matchup. Both teams started last season strong before fading down the stretch and have major questions surrounding their offensive lines. Auburn and Penn State both need this marquee win before heading into tough conference schedules.
I think it’s been understated just how rare of a regular season matchup we will get to experience in Jordan-Hare Stadium this upcoming Saturday afternoon. Of course, power five out of conference matchups only happen at best once, or maybe twice, a season for each team. Even then, most of the time it’s a local team or old rival that’s coming to town. To get to the point, this will only be the fourth time ever Auburn has played a Big Ten team in the regular season and the first to ever play a Big Ten team in Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers tied Ohio State in 1917, tied Wisconsin in 1931, and lost at Penn State 28-20 last season. Auburn has had the opportunity to play many more Big Ten teams in bowl games throughout the years but, to get this kind of matchup in the regular season is a novelty for us fans. Auburn and Penn State have played three times prior to Saturday’s matchup. Of course, the two teams played last season in Happy Valley with Penn State getting the win over Auburn 28-20. The Tigers and Nittany Lions played at the conclusion of the 2002 season in the 2003 Citrus Bowl in which Auburn defeated Penn State in Orlando 13-9. The first meeting between the two was in the 1996 Outback Bowl in which Joe Paterno and Penn State defeated Auburn 43-14 in Tampa.
For those of you fortunate enough to be in Auburn for the game this weekend, I encourage you to welcome any Penn State fans you see walking around campus and show them what the Auburn Family and southern hospitality is all about. Don’t forget to wear your orange for the annual “All Auburn, All Orange” game and arrive to the stadium early for all of the pregame festivities in a sold out Jordan- Hare Stadium. As Pat Dye said,”Tonight is what our program is all about!”
Gameday Information - Auburn versus Penn State | Game Three
Timeline: 11:30am - Tiger Tailgate Show - Auburn Network
12:30pm - Tiger Walk 12:30pm - Jordan-Hare Stadium Gates Open
1:10pm - Four Corners Pep Rally 2:10pm - Pre-Game Festivities Begin
2:39pm - Kickoff
Watch: SEC on CBS
Listen: Auburn Sports Network https://auburntigers.com/sports/2018/6/15/aubur n-sports-network-listen.aspx
Patrick Party Information - Coverage of Week Three Patrick Party Pregame: Patrick Party Pregame, live from Auburn, AL, will air from 8:00am - 9:00am on Saturday Morning. Pregame will take an inside look into the Auburn Football Tiger's week two matchup against the San José State Spartans and all of the other games across the College Football landscape. Pregame is available on the Patrick Party's Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, and website www.patrickparty.com.
Patrick Party Picks: Our weekly minute long picks of the best college football games of the weekend will debut on Pregame on Saturday morning and will then be made available on all of our Social Media platfroms
Patrick Party Podcast: The Patrick Party Podcast provides listeners with a weekly update and analysis of the Auburn Football program. This week's Patrick Party Podcast debuted Tuesday afternoon. Episodes are made available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and www.patrickparty.com
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