Auburn takes first playoff step by finishing off Washington

ATLANTA -- As the Auburn team busses drove past the hulking metal origami-shaped stadium just outside of downtown, there were painful memories. They'd lost the SEC championship game to Georgia in heartbreaking fashion there last December, falling a quarter shy from what they believed would be a shot at reaching the College Football Playoff. Then, a month later, seeking some semblance of vindication, they were instead embarrassed by a loss to UCF in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

All offseason this team was reminded of its failures in the capital of college football. Everyone, from coaches to media members to family, had hammered that home. UCF's never-ending self-coronations as national champs…