Auburn Football Game Day: Loudest Crowd or Biggest Upset?
Auburn football game day can give you moments you remember for the rest of your life, so here’s today’s Auburn question:
Would you rather experience the loudest crowd you’ve ever heard at Jordan-Hare Stadium — or witness the biggest Auburn upset you’ve ever seen?
That’s a hard one.
Because when Jordan-Hare gets loud, you don’t just hear it.
You feel it.
But there’s also nothing quite like watching Auburn win a game that people weren’t expecting Auburn to win.
So which experience are you choosing?
🏟️ LOUDEST CROWD
or
🏈 BIGGEST UPSET
If you’re considering moving to Auburn, Alabama, this is another glimpse into why football Saturdays are such a distinctive part of living in a university town.
Table of Contents
- Auburn football game day is about the experience
- How loud does Jordan-Hare Stadium get?
- When the crowd becomes part of the story
- Auburn loves an upset
- The 1989 Iron Bowl
- The unforgettable 2013 season
- Why Auburn games feel different in person
- Game day extends beyond Jordan-Hare
- What football means when you live in Auburn
- Quick Q&A
- Moving to Auburn
Auburn Football Game Day Can Get LOUD
You can watch Auburn football on television.
You can turn the volume up.
You can have friends over.
You can hear the announcers talking about the crowd.
But none of that completely recreates what happens when Jordan-Hare Stadium gets going.
Auburn Athletics has repeatedly described the stadium atmosphere as deafening.
In a 2023 feature about Jordan-Hare, Auburn offensive line coach Jake Thornton recalled experiencing the stadium as an opposing coach during the 2021 Ole Miss game and called it the loudest crowd he’d ever been part of.
ESPN senior writer Ryan McGee was also quoted describing Jordan-Hare as the loudest stadium he’d experienced.
That’s saying something.
Jordan-Hare Stadium (https://auburntigers.com/jordan-hare-stadium) isn’t simply where Auburn plays football.
The crowd is part of the experience.
When Jordan-Hare Gets Going, Everybody Knows It
Some games have a different energy from the beginning.
Big SEC opponent.
Night game.
Rivalry.
Close score.
Auburn makes a huge defensive stop.
Third down.
The crowd realizes something special might be happening.
And suddenly the noise seems to build on itself.
Auburn Athletics described the 2017 Georgia game as the loudest Jordan-Hare had been since the 2013 Iron Bowl.
Auburn beat No. 1 Georgia that night.
The better Auburn played, the louder Jordan-Hare became.
That’s the kind of game where you might wake up the next morning and realize:
Good Lord, my voice is gone. 😂
But What About the Biggest Auburn Upset?
Now I’m making the decision harder.
Would you trade that incredible noise for being there when Auburn knocks off a team almost nobody expects them to beat?
Upsets are part of what makes college football so much fun.
Rankings say one thing.
Predictions say another.
Everybody has already decided what’s supposed to happen.
And then they actually play the game.
Sometimes Auburn has other plans.
The 1989 Iron Bowl Was Bigger Than a Football Game
One of the most important examples in Auburn history happened in 1989.
For the first time, Alabama came to Auburn to play the Iron Bowl on Auburn’s campus.
Before then, the Auburn-Alabama rivalry had been played at Legion Field in Birmingham.
Alabama entered that historic game ranked No. 2.
Auburn won 30–20.
Think about what that day represented.
It wasn’t simply beating a highly ranked rival.
It was Alabama finally coming to Auburn.
Auburn officials estimate approximately 20,000 people lined Donahue Drive for Tiger Walk that day.
The game became one of the defining moments in Auburn football history.
And the people who were there?
They didn’t simply watch an upset. Below is a video of the Iron Bowl, but not 1989.
They watched Auburn history happen.
Then There’s 2013
You really can’t write about unbelievable Auburn football moments without mentioning 2013.
That season gave Auburn fans two games that became part of college football history.
The Prayer at Jordan-Hare against Georgia.
And then…
The Kick Six.
If you were watching Auburn football during that stretch, you didn’t have much time to recover from one unbelievable finish before another arrived.
Those are the moments that remind you why people keep going to games.
You never know when the ordinary Saturday you planned months ago is going to become the game people are still talking about decades later.
Maybe the Best Answer Is BOTH
Here’s the problem with my question.
Sometimes the biggest upset creates the loudest crowd.
Auburn’s 2017 game against No. 1 Georgia is a perfect example.
The Tigers kept making plays.
The crowd kept responding.
The energy kept building.
And Auburn won 40–17.
A few weeks later, Jordan-Hare was rocking again when Auburn beat No. 1 Alabama.
So maybe I’m cheating at my own either/or question. 😂
But if I absolutely have to choose?
I still want to know what you would pick.
Why Auburn Football Feels Different When You’re Actually There
There’s so much happening during an Auburn football game that doesn’t translate completely through a television.
The Auburn University Marching Band.
Aubie.
The eagle flight.
“War Eagle.”
The student section.
The stadium lights during night games.
The crowd reacting together.
People you’ve never met high-fiving you after a touchdown.
And long before kickoff, there’s Tiger Walk and tailgating.
Auburn University (https://www.auburn.edu/) describes these traditions as important parts of the Auburn experience.
Tiger Walk itself dates to the 1960s and grew from children greeting Auburn players as they walked toward the stadium.
Today, thousands of fans can line the route.
Game Day Doesn’t Start at Kickoff
That’s another thing someone relocating to Auburn may not realize.
An Auburn home football game isn’t simply three or four hours inside Jordan-Hare.
Game day can consume the entire day.
People tailgate.
Families gather.
Alumni return.
Downtown Auburn fills with visitors.
Restaurants get busy.
Storefronts display orange and blue.
People gather around Toomer’s Corner.
Tiger Walk takes place before the game.
The band performs.
The eagle flies.
Then Auburn finally kicks off.
And if Auburn wins?
The celebration may continue at Toomer’s Corner afterward.
The football game is the centerpiece, but it’s not the whole experience.
Downtown Auburn Becomes Part of Football Saturday
One of the advantages of Auburn University’s location is how closely campus connects with Downtown Auburn.
Toomer’s Corner sits right there.
Samford Hall is nearby.
Hargis Hall is nearby.
Restaurants and shops line the downtown streets.
During football season, storefront windows fill with Auburn displays.
Clothing shops put out game-day outfits.
Auburn merchandise seems to be everywhere.
Then come back early on a normal morning and you can see the same Downtown Auburn streets almost empty.
That’s Auburn.
One place. Two completely different personalities.
What Does Auburn Football Have to Do With Real Estate?
If you’re moving to Auburn, quite a bit.
You don’t have to care about football to buy a home here.
But you should understand what major Auburn University events can mean for different locations.
Living relatively close to campus may mean greater exposure to:
- Football traffic
- Pedestrian activity
- Visitors
- Parking activity
- Tailgating
- Downtown activity
- Stadium noise
- Late-night activity after some games
One buyer may hear all of that and say:
That’s exactly where I want to be.
Another may say:
I love going to the games, but I’d rather drive home afterward.
Neither answer is wrong.
It’s about choosing a location that matches the way you want to live.
You Don’t Have to Live Beside Jordan-Hare to Be Part of Auburn
Auburn offers many different residential environments.
You can live closer to Auburn University.
You can live farther from campus.
You can look for a larger lot.
You can consider newer construction.
You can explore established neighborhoods.
You can also consider Opelika while remaining convenient to Auburn.
Opelika Tiger Town (https://www.opelika-al.gov/397/Tiger-Town) provides shopping and dining on the Auburn–Opelika side of the area, while Auburn Mall (https://www.shopauburnalabama.com/) is another local shopping resource.
You can explore different Auburn areas through my Auburn subdivisions page (https://auburnopelikaalrealestate.com/auburn-al-subdivisons/).
For current public-school information, visit Auburn City Schools (https://www.auburnschools.org/) or Opelika City Schools (https://www.opelikaschools.org/).
A Realistic Auburn Relocation Scenario
Imagine you’re relocating to Auburn University.
You’ve watched Auburn football on television.
You’ve heard about Jordan-Hare.
You’ve seen Tiger Walk videos.
But then you attend your first big game.
Auburn makes a huge defensive play.
Everybody stands.
The noise builds.
You can’t hear the person beside you.
And suddenly you understand why people who attended Auburn games decades ago can still tell you exactly where they were sitting when something unbelievable happened.
That’s the difference between knowing Auburn has a football team and understanding what football season can feel like when you live here.
Quick Q&A About Auburn Football Game Day
How loud does Jordan-Hare Stadium get?
Very loud during major moments and big games. Auburn Athletics has described memorable Jordan-Hare crowds as deafening, and players, coaches and sportswriters have singled it out as one of college football’s loudest environments.
What are some famous Auburn football upsets?
Auburn’s history includes many memorable wins, including the 1989 victory over No. 2 Alabama when the Iron Bowl came to Auburn for the first time and the 2017 wins over highly ranked Georgia and Alabama.
What happened in the 1989 Iron Bowl?
Alabama played Auburn on Auburn’s campus for the first time, and Auburn defeated No. 2 Alabama 30–20. The day became one of the most celebrated moments in Auburn football history.
What are the Prayer at Jordan-Hare and Kick Six?
They’re two famous Auburn finishes from the 2013 season. The Prayer at Jordan-Hare came against Georgia, while the Kick Six decided the Iron Bowl against Alabama.
What happens before an Auburn football game?
Depending on the game and current schedule, fans may participate in tailgating, Tiger Walk, band activities and other pregame traditions before entering Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Does Auburn football affect living near Auburn University?
Home games can bring increased vehicle and pedestrian traffic, visitors, parking demand, tailgating and general activity around campus and Downtown Auburn.
Should football weekends affect where I buy in Auburn?
They can be one consideration. Buyers considering homes close to Auburn University should think about whether they want to be near major university activity or prefer more distance from it.
So Which One Are You Choosing?
No cheating.
Okay, maybe a little cheating. 😂
Would you rather experience:
📣 THE LOUDEST CROWD YOU’VE EVER HEARD
or
🏈 THE BIGGEST AUBURN UPSET YOU’VE EVER SEEN?
There’s something pretty special about being inside Jordan-Hare when you realize:
Wait a minute. Auburn might actually win this thing.
And then the crowd figures it out, too.
That’s when things get LOUD.
Related Auburn Topics
- Auburn football game day
- Auburn football traditions
- Jordan-Hare Stadium
- Jordan-Hare night games
- Auburn Tiger Walk
- Auburn football tailgating
- Auburn University Marching Band
- Auburn Family
- Downtown Auburn
- Toomer’s Corner
- Moving to Auburn Alabama
- Relocating to Auburn University
- Living in Auburn Alabama
- Auburn homes for sale
Visit AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com for Auburn–Opelika real estate, relocation, neighborhoods and local information.
Local Auburn Knowledge Matters
Laura Sellers is an Auburn University alumna who has lived in the Auburn–Opelika area since 1988 and has been a REALTOR® for over 20 years. She is an Associate Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate, the Official Real Estate Partner of the Auburn Tigers.
Living here means I’ve seen Auburn on ordinary mornings and on those Saturdays when it feels like everybody in the state has descended on the same few square miles. 😂
Both are part of Auburn.
Thinking About Moving to Auburn?
If Auburn football is part of what attracts you to the area — or you’re relocating here for Auburn University and trying to understand what living in a college town is actually like — I can help.
Contact me before you start touring homes, before you click “contact agent” on a listing website, and before you choose an agent.
We’ll look at more than the house. We’ll look at location, campus proximity, game-day activity and the Auburn–Opelika lifestyle that fits you.
Laura Sellers, Associate Broker, REALTOR®
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate
334-332-7263
AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com
War Eagle & Homes, y’all!
