Auburn Pegged as the Most Delusional Fanbase: Don’t Laugh Alabama, You Aren’t Far Behind

The rivalry between Auburn and Alabama fans is one of the most intense, bitter, and storied in college football. Each year, the Iron Bowl brings out passionate displays of loyalty, pride, and often, delusion. However, over the years, there has been a growing perception that Auburn fans have earned a reputation for being the “most delusional” fanbase in college football. But before Alabama fans start laughing at Auburn’s expense, it’s worth pointing out that they too have their own brand of delusion, one that is uniquely tied to the deep roots of the Alabama-Auburn rivalry.

The Auburn Perception: What Makes Them Delusional?

When it comes to Auburn, the charge of delusion isn’t necessarily rooted in the program’s overall success or lack thereof, but rather in the outsized expectations many fans have relative to the team’s historical achievements and realistic potential. Auburn fans, for the most part, are incredibly loyal and passionate, but sometimes that passion can give way to an inflated sense of what the team is capable of.

One of the key reasons why Auburn is often labeled as delusional is their perception of the program’s standing in the SEC and national college football. Auburn has been competitive over the years, with moments of greatness, like their 2010 national championship, but they are often stuck in a purgatory between greatness and mediocrity. Their fans, however, regularly express the belief that the Tigers should be competing for national championships every year, a belief that stems from the program’s peaks, such as their near-miss in 2017, where they beat Alabama and Georgia, only to fall short of a playoff berth.

The cycle of firing and hiring coaches at Auburn has also contributed to this delusion. The constant shuffling of head coaches – often in search of the “next big thing” – has resulted in a fanbase that has lofty expectations, expecting immediate success with every new hire. The firing of Gus Malzahn after a somewhat successful tenure (he took Auburn to a national championship game in 2013 and won an SEC title in 2010) is a prime example. While Malzahn wasn’t always able to deliver consistent results, the expectation that Auburn should always have an elite coach leading the team is an example of how Auburn fans sometimes live in a world of overblown expectations.

Moreover, the belief that Auburn can attract top-tier recruits every year, despite competing with the likes of Alabama and Georgia in the SEC, is another symptom of delusion. The reality of recruiting in the modern era is that, although Auburn has a rich football history and a passionate fanbase, it often finds itself playing second fiddle to its larger, more successful rivals. Yet, many Auburn fans refuse to acknowledge that recruiting is an area where they may have to temper their expectations.

Alabama’s Delusion: A Different Kind of Arrogance

While Auburn fans’ delusions might stem from a sense of entitlement or an inflated perception of their team’s success, Alabama fans’ delusions take on a different character. Alabama’s delusion is tied to the success of the past, specifically under legendary head coach Nick Saban, and the belief that the Crimson Tide can do no wrong, no matter what happens on the field.

Alabama fans have long been accustomed to winning, and this has given rise to an arrogance that can sometimes cross into delusion. Alabama has won 18 national championships, more than any other program in college football, and Saban’s dominance has set the standard so high that some fans believe that any failure to win a national title is nothing short of catastrophic. A season in which Alabama doesn’t win the national championship is often considered a disappointment, even though they remain one of the top programs in the country.

What makes Alabama’s delusion unique, however, is that it isn’t just about maintaining success. It’s about the belief that their success is somehow invulnerable. Fans often view Alabama’s recruiting class as infallible, assuming that every top recruit will immediately develop into an NFL-caliber player, and that no team can ever truly challenge the Crimson Tide for supremacy. This delusion can manifest in the belief that Alabama should always be able to recruit the best players, even when other programs are beginning to catch up in terms of facilities, coaching, and support staff.

Take the 2023 season, for instance. Alabama entered the year with high expectations, despite having a number of question marks at key positions. Some fans, however, refused to acknowledge any potential flaws, maintaining that it was impossible for Alabama to have a “down year” simply because of the program’s legacy and resources. When Alabama suffered a loss to Texas, many fans reacted as though it were a once-in-a-lifetime aberration, unable to accept that they weren’t the dominant force in college football that they had been in the past decade. This tendency to overestimate Alabama’s invincibility and assume that their past success will automatically translate to continued dominance is another manifestation of the kind of delusion that Alabama fans often exhibit.

Iron Bowl Delusion

The Iron Bowl, which is the annual football game between Alabama and Auburn, is an event that amplifies the delusion of both fanbases. Auburn fans, even in the face of a largely inferior team, often convince themselves that they have a shot at pulling off an upset over the heavily favored Crimson Tide. These delusions have occasionally paid off, such as in the 2013 Iron Bowl, where Auburn pulled off a stunning victory that helped propel them to the BCS National Championship Game. However, these moments are rare and tend to reinforce the idea that Auburn fans consistently live in a state of hope rather than acceptance.

On the other hand, Alabama fans’ delusions heading into the Iron Bowl often come from their overconfidence. The deep-seated belief that no matter the circumstance, Alabama will always have the upper hand in the rivalry has led to some remarkable moments of self-assuredness, particularly when the Tide is heavily favored. But that sense of superiority can sometimes backfire, especially when Auburn manages to rise to the occasion, as they did in the 2017 Iron Bowl when they stunned Alabama to secure a spot in the SEC Championship Game.

For Alabama fans, there is always a lingering expectation that their team will simply overpower Auburn, regardless of how the season is progressing. This overconfidence can sometimes cloud judgment and prevent fans from acknowledging the real strengths of their rivals, which can lead to surprising upsets, as evidenced by the historic upsets Auburn has pulled off over the years.

 Delusion Is a Shared Trait

In the end, both Auburn and Alabama fans exhibit forms of delusion, albeit in different ways. Auburn fans have a tendency to overestimate their program’s standing and potential, sometimes putting undue pressure on coaches and players to achieve more than is realistically possible. Alabama fans, on the other hand, have a tendency to view their program as invincible, unable to accept that other teams can challenge their dominance.

Both fanbases are steeped in history and success, but those successes have led to expectations that are sometimes disconnected from reality. Auburn’s delusion comes from its desire to be consistently elite, while Alabama’s delusion stems from its belief that its past successes will always guarantee future triumphs.

While the rivalry will always be defined by passion and fierce competition, perhaps the real lesson here is that no fanbase, no matter how successful, is immune to delusion. Whether it’s Auburn dreaming of a dynasty or Alabama believing they are untouchable, both fanbases are united in their fervor and their sometimes exaggerated sense of their teams’ capabilities. In the end, the only certainty is that delusion will continue to be a fundamental part of what makes college football—and the Iron Bowl—so entertaining.