There is a Miss America pagent and a totally different Miss USA pagent. The auburn girl is the state's representative for the Miss USA pagent and not the traditional Miss America pagent.
Each year the University conducts a Miss University of Alabama pagent with that winner competing for the traditional Miss Alabama pagent and then the traditional Miss America pagent. I learned all one year when I was asked to be a guest judge for the Miss University of Alabama pagent. I know we have had at least one Miss (University) Alabama win the state title too and go to the Miss America pagent. The one I remember is now Coach Clem Gryska's daughter-in-law. Coach Clem worked for Coach Bryant and now runs the Bryant Museum. We have had a couple of other U of A students become Miss America but I don't know if they were also Miss U of A pagent winners.
In any event, it is good to hear that tonight's Miss Alabama give us a Roll Tide even though she isn't in school at the University.
