2026 started ideally for Auburn Tiger fans: the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs were both eliminated from the College Football Playoff on New Year's Day. Alabama took an embarrassing 38-3 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl, while Georgia lost a 39-34 instant classic to the Ole Miss Rebels in the Sugar Bowl.
The Tide's loss was the sweetest. Alabama looked outclassed in every aspect in Pasadena, proving that Kalen DeBoer's program never deserved a spot in the CFP's 12-team field from the beginning.