Former Auburn coach Terry Bowden issues statement after 1993 Tigers claim national championship

Former Auburn head coach Terry Bowden has stepped into the swirling debate surrounding Auburn University’s recent string of retroactive national championship claims by releasing a heartfelt and reflective statement regarding the 1993 Auburn Tigers. The university has now officially added that season to its collection of self-recognized national titles, pushing the total number of claimed championships even further into eyebrow-raising territory. And this time, Bowden—who led that unforgettable 1993 squad—has decided to break his silence.

That year, Bowden’s Tigers went a perfect 11-0 in his first season as head coach. It was a season of improbable wins, wild momentum swings, and gritty performances that captured the attention of fans across the Southeast. But Auburn, despite its flawless record, was barred from postseason play due to NCAA sanctions stemming from violations that occurred under the previous coaching regime. That meant no SEC Championship Game. No bowl game. No shot at a national title in real-time. Yet more than three decades later, the school has now decided that what happened on the field in 1993 is enough to call themselves champions. And Bowden is completely on board.

In his statement, Bowden expressed pride—not just in the undefeated record, but in the adversity his players overcame during a season that could have easily gone off the rails. He described that group as “a team that embodied toughness, brotherhood, and resilience in every sense.” He went on to say, “We weren’t supposed to go undefeated. Not with everything stacked against us. But those kids never blinked. They believed in each other and in the mission. Whether anyone gave us credit or not, we knew what we accomplished.”

At the time, Auburn’s 1993 season was viewed as something of an SEC marvel. With the school facing bowl bans, television restrictions, and scholarship reductions, expectations were low. Bowden, fresh off his successful run at Samford, took over a program in turmoil and managed to guide it to perfection. It was a Cinderella story—but unlike most fairy tales in college football, it didn’t end with a championship celebration. Until now.

Auburn’s decision to recognize that season as a national title is controversial, no doubt. The 1993 consensus champion, according to both the AP and Coaches polls, was Florida State, who finished 12-1 after beating Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. There wasn’t much debate at the time, simply because Auburn wasn’t eligible to be ranked by the Coaches Poll and had no shot at a postseason statement. Yet, despite all that, Auburn is now pointing to retroactive selectors like the National Championship Foundation and several statistical systems that deemed the Tigers the best team in the country that year. And Bowden is embracing the new recognition with open arms.

He said in his statement, “People can debate it all they want, but the scoreboard never lied. We beat every team we faced. We didn’t get to play for a trophy, but that team earned one. And if Auburn wants to finally give them what they deserved, I say it’s about time.” That sentiment echoes the feelings of many Auburn fans who’ve always felt the 1993 team was unfairly forgotten, left out of the national conversation because of circumstances that had nothing to do with the players or the coaches who led them.

Bowden also took a moment in his statement to thank his players and staff. He mentioned quarterback Stan White, running back James Bostic, and wide receiver Frank Sanders by name, noting how they carried the team through moments when they could have folded. “I’ve never coached a tougher group,” Bowden said. “They didn’t care about the noise, the distractions, or the things they couldn’t control. All they did was win. Week after week. Practice after practice. They bought in, and they stuck together.”

Of course, not everyone is thrilled about the addition of 1993 to Auburn’s championship ledger. Critics argue that claiming a title in a year when another team was undisputedly ranked No. 1 is just another example of college football’s ongoing history revision trend. The sport has long operated in a gray zone when it comes to national championships. The NCAA doesn’t award official titles at the FBS level, instead leaving that job to a variety of polls and organizations. That ambiguity has opened the door for schools to make retroactive claims based on whatever historical data or ranking system best suits their case. Auburn is now among the most aggressive in doing so.

With the addition of 1993, Auburn’s list of claimed national championships is now stacked with years that most fans outside of the Plains never considered before. Alongside more widely recognized titles like 1957 and 2010, Auburn now includes seasons like 1910, 1914, 1958, 2004, and now 1993. The total number of claimed titles stands at ten. That number, whether taken seriously by the rest of the college football world or not, is now part of the school’s official history.

For Bowden, though, this isn’t about trolling rival fanbases or inflating Auburn’s trophy case. It’s about recognizing the achievement of a group of young men who were, in his eyes, denied their moment of glory. “They didn’t get their parade. They didn’t get their rings. But they got each other, and now, finally, they’re getting the respect they earned,” he said.

His statement also touched on the emotional toll that year took on the coaching staff. “There were times we felt like we were coaching in the shadows. No national TV. No postseason. No real recognition. But we never lost sight of the bigger picture. That season was about restoring pride in Auburn football, and I believe we did that.”

Bowden’s message has been met with appreciation from former players, fans, and alumni. Many have taken to social media to thank him for standing up for the 1993 team and shining a light on what was arguably one of the most impressive coaching jobs in Auburn history. For a first-year head coach, inheriting a program in turmoil and leading it to an unbeaten season is the kind of thing that, under normal circumstances, would result in Coach of the Year honors, a national spotlight, and potentially a national championship shot. But for decades, that story sat in the margins of Auburn history. Now, it’s front and center.

The question, of course, is whether this move opens the door to even more retroactive claims by Auburn or other schools. As college football continues to evolve—with realignment, expanded playoffs, and more formal title structures—the past remains as malleable as ever. If Auburn’s new approach gains traction, don’t be surprised to see other schools revisit their own underappreciated seasons and try to reclaim forgotten glory. The sport has always had an uneasy relationship with its own history, and this era of retroactive championship claims is just the latest chapter in that never-ending drama.

For Terry Bowden, though, the recognition feels personal. It’s not about rewriting history. It’s about finally telling the full story. And in his eyes, that story ends with a championship.

“People can say what they want,” he concluded, “but I know what we were. And now, finally, so does Auburn.”