An athlete's whole trajectory can be altered just by where they choose to go to school, and where they decide not to go. Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith took fans back in time when recounting his college decision. It is sure to be an especially painful blast from the past for Auburn football fans.

The Hall of Fame running back admitted that he would have played for the Tigers had he not committed to Florida ahead of the 1987 season. “When I was coming out, Bo Jackson had just won a Heisman a couple years ago….and Auburn took pride in running the football,” he told “SEC This Morning,” via the SEC Network.

Smith's motivation to claim the illustrious Heisman Trophy, as well as an RB-friendly grass surface, clearly made Jordan-Hare Stadium an appealing alternative. Despite Auburn head coach Pat Dye's best efforts, however, the Florida native became the star of the Gators during the late '80s.

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While Smith dominated, Florida football went just 20-16 in his three seasons with the program. If the Super Bowl 28 MVP signed with the Tigers instead, he would have been guaranteed more national exposure and team success, both of which could have made for a stronger Heisman case (Smith's best finish was seventh in 1989).

This intriguing “what if” scenario is a borderline gut punch to an Auburn football program that could have captured the national championship that eluded them in an otherwise prosperous decade. The team did end its title drought in 2010, and Emmitt Smith made up for his lack of collegiate winning by celebrating three championships in the pros with the Cowboys.

But history as we know it was close to looking quite different. The 1990 NFL Draft order, and thereby the future of Smith and the Cowboys, could have been dramatically altered if the league's all-time rushing yards and touchdowns leader chose a different hat.