Auburn’s new era gets an immediate spotlight on Saturday, and Paul Finebaum thinks Alex Golesh is stepping into a pressure point right away.
The Tigers open the 2026 college football season against Baylor in one of Week 1’s most anticipated games, and the matchup already carries more weight than a typical nonconference opener. Auburn moved on from Hugh Freeze during the season last year and turned to former South Florida head coach Alex Golesh, who arrives after going 23-15 in three seasons with the Bulls. His best year came last season, when South Florida finished 9-3.
That’s the backdrop for a program that has been stuck in a miserable stretch. Auburn has five straight losing seasons and six straight seasons with six wins or fewer, which is exactly why the first game under Golesh is drawing so much attention. The Tigers are 7.5-point favorites in the neutral-site matchup, but the number matters less than what comes next: whether this new staff can show real traction.
Finebaum made that point on Saturday during “SEC Nation.”
"I think Alex Golesh (Saturday) has a critical moment," Finebaum said on 'SEC Nation.' "You have everybody thinking they can turn this around. You haven't been to a bowl game in (three) years."
One reason Auburn has optimism is quarterback Byrum Brown, who followed Golesh from South Florida. Brown threw for 3,158 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season, while also rushing for 1,008 yards and 14 scores. That familiarity with Golesh’s offense could help Auburn settle in quickly and give the Tigers an immediate identity.
But the bigger issue is whether that promise shows up on the field. Auburn is coming off a 5-7 season, and Baylor also finished 5-7, so Saturday offers an early barometer for both teams. For Golesh, though, the stakes are more about proof than perfection.
Brown gives Auburn a quarterback who can hurt defenses in multiple ways, and that kind of versatility should fit neatly into the offense Golesh wants to run. Still, the Tigers have to do more than flash. They need a complete game, and they need it to mean something beyond one afternoon.
That’s what makes this opener such a key test. Golesh doesn’t have to solve Auburn’s long-running issues in one day, but he does need to show the program is pointed in the right direction. A win over Baylor would give Auburn its first clear sign that the rebuild has real momentum behind it.
Auburn and Baylor kick off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
In Other News...
Auburns Atlanta Opener Created A Tradeoff Fans Immediately Noticed
Moving Auburns season opener to Mercedes-Benz Stadium gave the program a different kind of stage for its Aflac Kickoff Game, and it came with a tradeoff fans noticed right away. The atmosphere was not what Jordan-Hare Stadium would have delivered, but Auburn still brought a strong contingent to Atlanta and made sure the place did not feel like a neutral site for long.
Athletics director John Cohen said the move was shaped in part by a lucrative NIL deal for players, which gave the decision a broader football-business context beyond the usual scheduling conversation. Some season ticket holders stayed home instead of making the trip, but Auburn still held the majority of fan support and carried a 10-7 halftime lead over Baylor, a sign the Tigers made the arrangement work even if the crowd size did not match a home opener. [Read more 🡒]
Former Auburn QB Is Finally Getting The Chance He Never Had
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Brown stayed with the Hawkeyes into 2026, and the payoff arrived in Week 1 when he was named the starter against Northern Illinois. He rewarded that trust with a touchdown pass, a small but meaningful step for a quarterback whose path has been more about patience and persistence than instant results. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Offensive Line Battle May Be Smaller Than Fans Expected
Auburns offensive line competition has drawn plenty of attention this spring, but Alex Golesh made it sound like the picture is a little less crowded than some fans may have expected. The Tigers have eight linemen who have earned the right to play, yet Golesh said the staff is not looking to rotate bodies simply to keep people involved. If the group up front is holding up well, the starting five can stay put.
The spot still worth watching is left guard, where Auburn continues to evaluate options as camp moves along. Goleshs message was that the offensive line will be judged by performance and by the demands of each game, not by any preset plan to shuffle players in and out. For a unit trying to settle in, that leaves some room for competition, but not the kind of wholesale rotation some around the program may have been anticipating. [Read more 🡒]