Due to Popular Confusion

For as long as I've been cheering for the orange and blue, I have been asked about the phrase 'War Eagle.' "So you have two mascots? The tigers and the war eagles?" "Why do y'all say 'War Eagle' to each other?" "What do eagles have to do with Tigers?" Well ladies and gents, it's really quite simple (well, maybe not for Bammer fans). The official Auburn University explanation of 'War Eagle' is as follows:

""War Eagle" is Auburn's battle cry, not a mascot or nickname. The most popular story about the battle cry dates back to the first time Auburn met Georgia on the football field in 1892 and centers around a spectator who was a veteran of the Civil War. In the stands with him that day was an eagle the old soldier had found on a battlefield during the war. He had kept it as a pet for almost 30 years. According to witnesses, the eagle suddenly broke free and began majestically circling the playing field. As the eagle soared, Auburn began a steady march toward the Georgia end zone for a thrilling victory. Elated at their team's play and taking the bird's presence as an omen of success, Auburn students and fans began to yell "War Eagle" to spur on their team. At the game's end, the eagle took a sudden dive, crashed into the ground, and died. But the battle cry "War Eagle" lived on to become a symbol of the proud Auburn spirit."
War Damn Battle Cry!