Could 'ugly loss' to Georgia cost Auburn HC Bryan Harsin his job?

In his article on ESPN+, Adam Rittenberg indicated a head coaching change could be imminent at Auburn if Bryan Harsin's Tigers fall to No. 2 Georgia in “an ugly one" Saturday.

Rittenberg speculated Auburn administrators also could wait until after the Tigers’ road game against Ole Miss on Oct. 15. The timing would provide an interim head coach a bye before Auburn hosts Arkansas on Oct. 29.

Regardless, it appears Harsin's tenure has reached its final days.

Last weekend, the Tigers (3-2, 1-1 in the SEC) blew a lead in a 21-17 loss to LSU. Two weeks earlier, Auburn suffered a 41-12 loss at home to No. 10 Penn State. However, the vultures began to circle well before the loss to the Nittany Lions. 

A 21-17 loss last November to South Carolina angered Auburn fans. A week later, the Tigers blew a late lead in a 24-22, four-overtime loss to Alabama, further inflaming the faithful.

On his podcast the following week, ESPN's college football analyst Paul Finebaum went off on Harsin. 

“I saw Harsin twice in my weekend in Auburn…he seemed ready,” he said. “He was ready until the big moment came and then he flat out blew it. He blew it a couple of times. He quit being Bryan Harsin at the end of the game. He thought he could run the clock out on Alabama—he couldn’t.”

While Harsin flounders, former Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn owns a 13-5 record since taking over the UCF Knights following his firing by the Tigers in 2020.

Through 18 games, Harsin owns a 9-9 record, the worst start for an Auburn coach since Doug Barfield went went 6-12. He coached at Auburn from 1976-80. 

Speculation on a possible Harsin replacement has included some of the usual suspects.

CBS Sports analyst Barrett Sallee put Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders on the short list of candidates. Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, has a 19-5 record at FCS Jackson State and eye-popping recruiting wins.