In 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015, Auburn football had, by all measures, disappointing seasons. But the joy gained from looking back at Cam Newton, his Heisman Trophy win, and Auburn’s SEC and BCS championships helped deal with those, at times, massive misfires in meeting preseason expectations.
Even 2013, as great as that team was and as fun as it was to watch — not to mention the SEC championship it fought so hard to win — came to a painful end, coming so close but so far from scoring a second national crown for Auburn in just four seasons.