Auburn’s new head coach Alex Golesh didn’t hesitate when CBS Sports asked him how long it would take to beat Alabama.
His answer landed with the kind of confidence Tigers fans love, and it also echoed a familiar line from Auburn history. Long before Golesh, legendary Auburn coach Pat Dye gave the same response to a similar question in the 1980s. Dye’s version eventually turned into reality two years later, when he snapped Auburn’s nine-game losing streak against the Crimson Tide.
Golesh is trying to make that kind of statement early in his tenure, and the matchup gives him a real opening. Auburn hasn’t beaten Alabama since 2019, back when Gus Malzahn was still leading the program. Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze both took swings at the rivalry game after that, and the 2023 team came especially close.
There are reasons Auburn believes it can make things interesting again this season, even in Tuscaloosa. Alabama’s rushing defense has not been anything to write home about over the past few years under Kalen DeBoer, and Auburn has pieces that could test it. Jeremiah Cobb, Baylor transfer Bryson Washington and USF transfer quarterback Byrum Brown should all get chances to make an impact.
The Tigers may be strongest on the other side of the ball, though. Last year’s team, coached by interim head coach DJ Durkin, held Alabama to 27 points and might have pushed the game to overtime or even stolen it outright if not for a costly Cam Coleman fumble late. It was Coleman’s final catch as a Tiger before he transferred to Texas.
That’s why the answer to whether Auburn has a shot in this year’s Iron Bowl is still yes. Rivalry games like this have a way of ignoring the usual logic, and the Iron Bowl has produced plenty of surprises over the years, including plenty of Auburn wins over better Alabama teams.
Golesh clearly understands what this game means. Auburn even went viral earlier in the summer for dedicating an entire section of practice to the Iron Bowl, and the new coach already has the Pat Dye answer locked in when it comes to Alabama.
Dye still needed two years to end the skid. Golesh will be hoping for a much quicker payoff.
In Other News...
Auburn Just Got An Unexpected Veteran Boost Up Front
Auburns defensive front picked up a notable bit of veteran stability with Dallas Walker IV set to return for the 2026 season. The 6-foot-3, 345-pound nose tackle brings a rare blend of size and experience after stops at Texas A&M and Western Kentucky before arriving in Auburn, and his presence should matter in a room that leans on physical play inside.
Walkers value has always been tied to the dirty work in the middle, where stopping the run and occupying space can shape everything around him. For a line that will keep leaning on younger pieces, getting a proven interior body back gives Auburn a sturdier foundation and a little more certainty up front as the next season takes shape. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns New Coach Just Took A Strong Stand Fans Will Debate
Alex Golesh is already making clear that he plans to bring a firm voice to Auburns program, and his latest comments will likely spark plenty of conversation among fans. On a podcast with David Pollack, the Tigers new head coach laid out his view that college football needs more structure around transfers, saying players should have to wait two to three years before moving again so they can grow through development and adversity.
Golesh tied that stance to the bigger lessons he believes football should teach, arguing that players need to learn how to work through hard situations instead of always looking for a way out. It is the kind of philosophy that fits a former high school coach, but it also puts him squarely in the middle of one of the sports biggest debates at a time when roster movement has become part of the landscape. [Read more 🡒]