In 2017, Malzahn led the Tigers to the SEC Championship game by defeating #1 ranked Georgia and #1 ranked Alabama over the span of three weeks. In a rematch with the Georgia Bulldogs, Auburn lost the 2017 SEC Championship Game 28–7. They went on to play UCF in the Peach Bowl where they would lose 34–27, a game that sparked controversy as it led to the first split National Championship since 2003 with the Colley Matrix (a poll deemed legitimate in determining a champion) awarding the title to UCF while Alabama won the CFP National Championship game by beating Georgia, 26–23 in overtime. Immediately after the season, Malzahn agreed to a seven-year $49 million contract extension with Auburn.