I know this doesn’t help your situation at all - but my D would love to go to Auburn–it is one of her top choices and we are from Pennsylvania and she is most likely headed to Pittsburgh if not Auburn or UA. I understand your parents’ concern about distance - I am struggling with the exact same issue (and same distance just opposite direction). I am trying to let my D drive this decision. Be as mature and reasonable with your parents as you can but at the end of the day if they are paying, they get the final say in the decision. It is a long way but the airfare from Atlanta is reasonable - really making it a much shorter distance than that drive.
Your father is a professor - does he work at Auburn and does he get tuition exchange?