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.