Auburn Claims Four More National Titles—Because Why Not? Now Calls Itself 9-Time Champ

In a move that’s already stirring up eye-rolls, debates, and social media chaos across the college football world, Auburn University has decided to do some… historical housecleaning. The Tigers are now officially recognizing themselves as nine-time national champions, retroactively claiming titles from 1910, 1914, 1958, and yes—2004.

If your first reaction is “wait, what?” you’re not alone.

Auburn, which had previously been recognized as a five-time champion by the school’s own standard, has essentially said: let’s revisit the past, do some digging, and give ourselves a little more credit where we think it’s deserved. The result? A four-title bump that now places the Tigers higher on the all-time list of college football royalty—at least in their own media guide.

This isn’t the first time a school has looked backward to stake its claim to additional championships. Alabama, Minnesota, Texas A&M, and USC have all done some version of this over the years. But in true Auburn fashion, this latest move feels a little more brash—maybe because of the timing, or maybe because one of the new claims is from that controversial 2004 season, which college football fans still argue about over wings and cold beer like it just happened last week.

Let’s break this down. In 1910 and 1914, Auburn had dominant seasons. They were undefeated. But there was no formal national championship structure at the time. No AP poll. No coaches’ vote. No playoff. So decades later, various mathematical systems and retroactive selectors—like the Billingsley Report or the National Championship Foundation—went back and tried to assign titles based on formulas. Auburn is now saying, “Yeah, we’ll take those. That’s us.”

Then there’s 1958, which might be the biggest stretch. That season, LSU was the consensus national champion. Auburn finished undefeated as well, but on probation and ineligible for a bowl. Still, there are third-party selectors who list Auburn as national champions that year. And so, into the trophy case it goes.

But 2004? That’s the crown jewel of this entire situation—and the one that will reignite old wounds. Auburn went 13–0 that season under Tommy Tuberville. Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown were terrorizing defenses. Jason Campbell was slinging it. The Tigers were stacked, dominant, and fun to watch. But the BCS system didn’t care. USC and Oklahoma were ranked higher all year, and Auburn never got a shot at the title game. USC crushed Oklahoma, but later vacated the title due to NCAA violations. So who does that leave?

Auburn, apparently.

For years, Auburn fans have insisted they were robbed. And now, in 2025, the school is making it official: they’re recognizing 2004 as a championship season. USC’s title might be vacated in the record books, but Auburn’s is now hanging from the rafters in Jordan-Hare.

Naturally, not everyone is buying it.

Alabama fans have already responded with mockery. Social media has been flooded with memes, jokes, and side-by-side comparisons of Auburn’s claims versus other programs’. LSU fans, especially, are shaking their heads at the 1958 claim. And for college football purists, the retroactive championship trend has always been a bit of a slippery slope. Where does it end? Can any program just dig through some old newspaper clippings and slap “national champion” on the year?

But Auburn isn’t backing down. The university made the announcement confidently and presented the claims as being supported by credible selectors. And truth be told, they’re not alone. The NCAA has long maintained that it doesn’t officially crown champions in FBS football. Instead, it recognizes what selectors and polls decide. That gray area has opened the door for schools to define their own legacies—and Auburn is just walking through it like it owns the place.

To be fair, there’s some logic to the 2004 addition. The Tigers went undefeated in the SEC, won the Sugar Bowl, and never got the chance to play for the title because of the broken BCS system. Had there been a College Football Playoff in place that year, Auburn would’ve undoubtedly been in it. So if any school has a “what might’ve been” case, it’s the 2004 Tigers. And now, 21 years later, they’re making it a “what definitely was” scenario.

Still, it’s hard not to chuckle at how convenient this all is. A program that’s been desperately trying to get back to national relevance—still navigating the rebuilding phase under Hugh Freeze—suddenly announces four more championships out of the blue. Is it a PR play? A recruiting move? A legacy rewrite? Probably a little of all three.

But Auburn fans don’t care. They’re embracing it.

The school plans to update signage, stadium banners, and promotional materials to reflect the new nine-title count. Expect graphics. Expect hype videos. Expect T-shirts. And expect SEC Media Days next summer to be absolutely electric when someone inevitably asks Freeze or AD John Cohen to explain why they believe 1958 belongs to Auburn more than LSU.

If anything, this move adds more fuel to the SEC fire. College football is built on passion, rivalries, tradition, and—yes—delusion. Every fan base has its blind spots. Every school has its version of history. Auburn just put theirs in bold print and framed it.

Of course, this also puts pressure on the current program. You can’t live off past glory forever—especially if some of that glory is being claimed retroactively. Hugh Freeze has been tasked with bringing Auburn back to the national stage in the present tense. Recruiting is on the rise. The roster is getting better. But until the wins start coming consistently on Saturdays in the fall, the “nine-time champions” line is going to feel more like an asterisk than an exclamation point to a lot of people.

Still, Auburn’s not alone in rewriting history. Alabama claims 18 national titles, and that list includes some years that are hotly debated outside of Tuscaloosa. Notre Dame, USC, Michigan—they all have their fuzzy claims in the early 20th century. Auburn’s just the latest to jump in with both feet and say, “Hey, history matters—and we want more of it.”

So now, Auburn joins the “just trust us” club. The banners are real. The claims are made. The debates will rage.

And college football, once again, proves it’s the most passionate, chaotic, and proudly illogical sport in America.