Auburn’s latest roster came with a hefty price tag, and the Tigers are right in the thick of the Power 4 spending race.
According to a report from The Athletic on Wednesday, Sept. 16, Auburn spent between $31 million and $35 million on its current squad. That places the Tigers 17th among Power 4 programs and ninth in the SEC, part of a landscape where roster-building has become a major financial arms race.
The report said 28 programs spent in the $30 million range last offseason. Auburn was one of 11 SEC teams to land among the nation’s 20 most expensive rosters, with the conference again showing just how aggressively it has invested across the board.
Auburn also stood out among first-year head coaches. After hiring Alex Golesh to replace Hugh Freeze, the program underwent major turnover, with roughly 40 players transferring out and about the same number coming in. A dozen of the newcomers followed Golesh from South Florida.
Among first-year hires, Auburn’s roster cost was the fifth-highest, trailing only LSU, Ole Miss, Michigan and Florida.
The top of the list was crowded with familiar heavy hitters. Ohio State led the way at $49 million to $54 million, followed by Oregon at $48 million to $54 million, Texas at $45 million to $55 million, LSU at $47 million to $50 million and Texas A&M at $45 million to $50 million.
Miami, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas Tech and USC also checked in ahead of Auburn. Indiana and Michigan were listed in the same range as Auburn, while South Carolina joined Auburn and Nebraska in the $31 million to $35 million bracket.
Here’s the full top 25 from The Athletic’s report:
Ohio State ($49-54M)
Oregon ($48-54M)
Texas ($45-55M)
LSU ($47-50M)
Texas A&M ($45-50M)
Miami ($44-50M)
Notre Dame ($41-48M)
Ole Miss ($39-45M)
Tennessee ($41-43M)
Alabama ($38-42M)
Texas Tech ($38-42M)
USC ($37-40M)
Indiana ($36-40M)
Michigan ($36-40M)
Florida ($31-41M)
South Carolina ($32-35M)
Auburn ($31-35M)
Nebraska ($31-35M)
Georgia ($31-34M)
Oklahoma ($28-34M)
Clemson ($29-32M)
Penn State ($29-32M)
Wisconsin ($27-31M)
Missouri ($27-30M)
UCLA ($26-30M)
In Other News...
Former Auburn WR Could Change How Dangerous Florida Looks Saturday
Eric Singleton Jr.s return to Jordan-Hare Stadium would have been an intriguing subplot on its own, given the path he took from Auburn to Florida and the production he has shown throughout his college career. Instead, his status is now tied to a left ankle injury he suffered in Floridas season opener, one that kept him out the following week and has limited him in practice as the Gators prepare for Saturdays game.
For Auburn, the uncertainty matters because Singleton has the kind of receiving ability that can change how a defense has to line up and react. If Florida has him available, it gives the Gators a more dangerous passing option to account for; if not, Auburn may get a slight break in a matchup that already comes with plenty of familiarity and extra edge. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Heads To Florida With One Big Question About Its Identity
Auburn heads into Week 3 with a familiar kind of test waiting in Gainesville, the sort that tends to expose what kind of team a program really is in September. Florida and Auburn both want to lean on physical football, but ESPN analyst Cole Cubelic sees the Gators as having the edge in that area, especially on offense, where line play and the ability to move bodies can set the tone early.
For Auburn, the question is whether its identity can hold up when the game turns into a trench fight. The Tigers have gotten a lift from the return of key edge rushers on defense, but the offensive line has been uneven enough to cast doubt on the rushing attacks ceiling. If Auburn cant match Floridas physicality up front, the rest of the trip could get uncomfortable in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Staff Chemistry Started Long Before This Season
Before Auburns current staff ever started drawing up game plans together on the Plains, several of those connections were already in place through previous stops at Bowling Green, Toledo and Illinois. Mike Ward, a longtime college football assistant who now coaches at Perrysburg High School, has crossed paths with a number of Auburns current coaches over the years, building the kind of familiarity that can make a staff feel more connected from the start.
Ward has never actually worked for Auburn, but he knows enough of the people involved to have a real read on the groups upside. Those relationships have stayed strong, and he remains optimistic about what they can do together. For now, he is hoping for a visit to Auburn in the near future, which would give him a closer look at the program and the coaches he has followed from afar. [Read more 🡒]