Auburn Tigers: 6 Games the Tigers Must Win in 2012

The Tigers head into the 2012 season with six must-win games on the schedule. Auburn will return 18 starters, and a wealth of additional experienced talent on roster. The Tigers will still be battling youth at key positions — like the offensive line — leaving them with a few limitations to start the year.

With games against Clemson and Mississippi State to start the season, the Tigers can’t afford to have many hiccups. Auburn will look to begin the year with key wins, projecting that success to the heart of the schedule as the season rolls on.

Looking at the schedule that is set for 2012, these are the six must wins for Auburn if they intend to have their season labeled as a success. 

Clemson Tigers (In Atlanta)

The Clemson game in 2011 was the first sign that the Tigers had serious issues that would hinder production last season. Auburn went into the game with high expectations, only to be completely deflated at the hands of Tajh Boyd and Sammie Watkins.

This year the Tigers will have a lot more experience to match up with Clemson, but Auburn isn’t likely to be the favorite when they open the season in Atlanta.

Auburn will look at this game as a must win. Starting the season with a loss will not benefit a still youthful team looking for a spark of confidence. The Tigers will need to find a lot of answers in this game as well, making this a very crucial opening benchmark for success.

@ Mississippi State Bulldogs

Auburn opens SEC play in the second week of the season. Mississippi State has been a very tough game in years past, with almost every meeting coming down to the wire.

Auburn will be on their second road trip of the season, but Starkville will be a much more hostile environment than the one the Tigers will be facing in Atlanta. Aubrun will look for solid play from the defense, holding a rebuilt Bulldogs offense at bay.

The Tigers will need this win. Opening SEC play with a loss will not set the Tigers up for success in 2012.

Arkansas Razorbacks

Tyler Wilson will be chomping at the bit heading into this game. Auburn has faced the Arkansas signal-caller twice in the past two seasons, with Wilson destroying the Auburn defense on both occasions.

In 2010, Wilson entered the game for an injured Ryan Mallet and despite this being his first significant playing time in college, he looked like a regular starter as he threw for the game of his life. Last season, Wilson took Auburn to task much the same way.

This year, the thought is that the Tigers will have a much-improved secondary, so this should be a good matchup when it rolls around. This game falls after the Tigers' bye week, so underperforming will not be an option.

This will also be another key SEC West showdown for Auburn. Getting a win here could keep the Tigers in the hunt for the division title.

Texas A&M Aggies

The Tigers will face the Aggies for the first time as a conference member this season as Texas A&M officially joins the SEC. Auburn must win this game. The Tigers can't lose to the new conference member at home. 

Bragging rights over the new conference member aside, the Tigers will be battling for a division title at this point if the season goes as planned. Winning over the Aggies will not only push the Tigers into a great position for the division, but also keep them on track for a very good season.

Auburn will face off against Texas A&M after back to back away games; coming back home to the Jordan-Hare crowd should help the Tigers find a victory. 

Georgia Bulldogs

The Tigers will head into the “Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry” with a bit of a chip on their shoulders. Auburn got decimated a year ago by the Bulldogs, and this season’s matchup will be just as tough.

The Tigers will have the experience to push for a win, but there will not be much room for error as the Bulldogs should be improved from last year as well.

This could be the last game that the Tigers and Bulldogs play on a regular basis with the coming schedule adjustments that must happen with conference expansion.

There is no definitive answer as to the future of this game, but the Tigers can’t afford to lose to Georgia this season if they plan on making a solid run at the SEC.

@ Alabama Crimson Tide

Is there really a breakdown needed why the Tigers need to win this game? Outside of the 365-day bragging rights, this has also been a game that has hosted the national champion three seasons in a row.

This game is a must win for the Tigers if they expect to battle for the SEC West. There isn’t a doubt that two of the top contenders for the Western Division will play in this game at season’s end.

Auburn will be traveling to a very hostile Bryant-Denny Stadium, looking to extend their 5-1 record in front of the Crimson Tide’s home crowd.

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