Auburn Football: Fans Rally Around Team, Gus Malzahn Vows Return to Title Game

Despite Auburn's heartbreaking 34-31 loss to Florida State in the BCS National Championship Game on Monday, hundreds of Tigers fans were on hand Tuesday at Auburn's indoor practice facility to welcome back the team as it arrived from Pasadena.

Fans lined the indoor facility, making a tunnel stretching the length of the full-sized field, mimicking Auburn's usual "Tiger Walk" tradition—where fans cheer as the team enters the Jordan-Hare Stadium before a game.

This time, "Tiger Walk" wasn't before a game, but after it—and after a loss, no less.

Even after Auburn's last-minute loss to Florida State, the fans were still there to welcome the team back to the Plains—and still there to chant "It's great to be an Auburn Tiger."

"This is truly unbelievable," Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs said.

"Hey guys," Jacobs continued, directing his attention to the Tigers players. "This is what being a part of the Auburn Family means. I know some of you are first-year guys, and some of you are fourth or fifth-year guys, but this is what it means, right here. Regardless of what happens out there, the Auburn Family sticks together."

Jacobs spoke at a podium arranged at the end of the Tiger Walk, then turned the microphone over to Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn.

"You are truly the best fans in college football. It all started at A-Day with 84,000 fans," Malzahn said to the crowd, referencing the Tigers' record-setting spring game attendance. "I just want to say thank you."

Malzahn ended his words with a promise.

"We're disappointed we came up just a little bit short—13 seconds," Malzahn said. "But I'm just going to tell you, I've never been prouder of a team, and of what they've done and where they've come. We're all in this together. We're truly the Auburn Family. These guys right here laid the groundwork for great things to come in the future.

"I'm going to tell you right now: We're going to go back."

Justin Lee

Justin Lee

Justin Lee

Justin Lee

Justin Lee

Justin Lee

Justin Lee

Justin Lee is Bleacher Report's lead Auburn writer. Follow him on Twitter @byjustinlee. All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.