The Auburn-Florida matchup coming up in Week 3 has been billed as one of the season’s most intriguing games, and the reason is easy to see. The Tigers and Gators look a lot alike on paper: both are led by first-year coaches who came up from the Group of Six level, both have leaned heavily on transfer talent, and both are eager to make a statement on Saturday.
But one former Auburn Tiger thinks Florida is walking in with the edge.
Cole Cubelic, the former Auburn offensive lineman who now works for ESPN, said the Gators bring “a lot of advantages” into the game. He pointed to the play of Jaden Baugh and the work Florida has gotten up front.
“Florida has a lot of advantages,” Cubelic said. “Jaden Baugh has been beyond dynamic this year.
The Florida offensive line with Bryce Lovett has exceeded expectations this season. They’re a more physical football team than I imagined, and I imagine any football team Jon Sumrall fields is going to be a physical football team.”
That physical edge is exactly where Auburn has had some issues, especially on offense. The Tigers’ guard play has been shaky, and Alex Golesh and Joel Gordon are still sorting through the front line while using a three-man rotation for now.
That uncertainty has shown up in the run game, where Auburn has struggled to generate the kind of physical push that helps an offense control the game. Jeremiah Cobb could end up being a key part of the equation if the Tigers are going to run effectively against a Florida defense that looks strong against the run.
Auburn’s defense, though, has been a different story. The Tigers have brought real physicality on that side of the ball, and they’ll get a boost with the return of top edge rushers Da’Shawn Womack and Chris Murray. Over the last couple of weeks, Auburn has been one of the more physical defensive teams in the country, and that showed up most clearly against Baylor, when the defense stood tall on a two-point conversion to finish off the win.
So while Florida may look like the more physical team overall, Auburn has already dealt with the kind of challenge that comes with a Power Four game. Florida has faced only Group of Six opponents so far, and that could matter, especially early on if the Tigers are able to bring that experience into the matchup.
In Other News...
Former Auburn WR Could Change How Dangerous Florida Looks Saturday
Eric Singleton Jr.s return to Jordan-Hare Stadium would have been an intriguing subplot on its own, given the path he took from Auburn to Florida and the production he has shown throughout his college career. Instead, his status is now tied to a left ankle injury he suffered in Floridas season opener, one that kept him out the following week and has limited him in practice as the Gators prepare for Saturdays game.
For Auburn, the uncertainty matters because Singleton has the kind of receiving ability that can change how a defense has to line up and react. If Florida has him available, it gives the Gators a more dangerous passing option to account for; if not, Auburn may get a slight break in a matchup that already comes with plenty of familiarity and extra edge. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Expensive Roster Overhaul Just Raised The Pressure On Alex Golesh
Auburns offseason makeover came with a price tag that makes the stakes around Alex Goleshs first year hard to miss. According to a report from The Athletic, the Tigers spent between $31 million and $35 million on the roster, putting the program 17th among Power 4 schools and ninth in the SEC. It was also the fifth-most expensive roster tied to a first-year head coach, a reminder that this wasnt a light reset but a major investment in getting Goleshs era moving quickly.
The roster churn has been just as striking as the spending. Roughly 40 players transferred out after Golesh was hired, and about the same number came in, including a dozen who followed him from South Florida. That kind of overhaul brings obvious uncertainty, but it also sharpens the pressure on Auburn to show the money and the movement translated into real progress, because this sort of spending usually comes with expectations that are anything but patient. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Staff Chemistry Started Long Before This Season
Before Auburns current staff ever started drawing up game plans together on the Plains, several of those connections were already in place through previous stops at Bowling Green, Toledo and Illinois. Mike Ward, a longtime college football assistant who now coaches at Perrysburg High School, has crossed paths with a number of Auburns current coaches over the years, building the kind of familiarity that can make a staff feel more connected from the start.
Ward has never actually worked for Auburn, but he knows enough of the people involved to have a real read on the groups upside. Those relationships have stayed strong, and he remains optimistic about what they can do together. For now, he is hoping for a visit to Auburn in the near future, which would give him a closer look at the program and the coaches he has followed from afar. [Read more 🡒]