Auburn’s backfield is drawing plenty of attention this fall, and Bryson Washington has already landed on a major watchlist before even settling fully into his role with the Tigers.
The Baylor transfer, a junior from Franklin, Texas, was named Tuesday to the Campbell Award Watchlist for the upcoming season. The honor, which recognizes the best offensive player in the country with a Texas connection, fits Washington on paper.
But the path to the award - and even to a featured role - comes with some caveats.
Washington is not expected to seize Auburn’s top running back job this season unless senior Jeremiah Cobb goes down with an injury. Cobb has been the clear favorite for RB1 since the start of spring, leaving Washington to battle for a complementary role behind him.
Health is the other concern. Washington has missed a significant amount of preseason time because of an injury, and Auburn head coach Alex Golesh said about a month ago that he was “not there yet” physically.
There has been a more encouraging trend lately. This past week, Washington worked with the starting group, a sign that he could be moving into position to handle the Tigers’ RB2 duties.
“Bryson [Washington], in the past week, has shown why he's been able to do what he's done the past couple years,” Golesh said.
Washington’s production at Baylor shows why Auburn is willing to keep betting on him. He topped 1,000 rushing yards and scored 12 touchdowns in his best season with the Bears in 2024, though injuries limited him in 2025 before he moved to Auburn.
That health piece is the sticking point. When he’s right, Washington has been an efficient and dangerous runner. If he can stay on the field and earn the staff’s trust, Auburn may end up using him in a much bigger way than the usual backup label suggests.
Golesh explained that Auburn’s RB2 will rotate with the starter from drive to drive or situation to situation as needed, which makes the setup less like a traditional backup role and more like a split between two featured backs.
That opens the door for Washington to matter quickly, especially alongside Cobb and elite dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown. If he puts together the kind of season his talent suggests, Washington could force his way into Campbell Award consideration - but it would take a career year to get there.
In Other News...
SEC Just Drew A New Line In Future Alabama Roster Fights
The SEC drew a hard new line this week in the roster battles that can shape college football recruiting, eligibility, and second-chance pathways. By unanimous vote of its presidents, chancellors and athletics directors, the league approved a policy that bars member schools from carrying former NFL, NBA or WNBA players on their rosters, a move that now puts the conference in step with the Big Ten on former NFL players returning to college ranks.
For Auburn and the rest of the league, the policy gives commissioner Greg Sankey broad power to enforce it, including suspensions, and it reaches beyond players who actually suited up professionally to those who signed with pro teams or were listed on pro rosters. The timing matters because roster rules have become another front in SEC competition, and the new standard leaves little ambiguity about where the conference wants the line to be drawn, even as the broader ripple effects around eligibility and roster construction are still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Added A Transfer Back With Everything To Prove In A Crowded Race
Auburns backfield just got a little more crowded, and that was the point. Alex Golesh added Troy transfer Tae Meadows to the 2026 roster through the portal, bringing in a back who arrives with a fresh rsum and plenty of reason to believe he can push for a role right away. Meadows was Troys leading rusher in 2025, and his track record of strong performances goes back to high school.
For Auburn, the move adds another layer to a running back room that already figures to be a real competition heading into the upcoming season. For Meadows, it creates the sort of proving ground he seems ready to embrace. He is arriving with production behind him, but not with anything guaranteed, which is exactly what makes this addition worth watching as spring and summer work begins to sort out who actually climbs the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Leading Scorer Picked His Next Team Amid Eligibility Fight
Keyshawn Halls path beyond Auburn has already taken a significant turn, even if the legal ground beneath it keeps shifting. One of the Tigers leading scorers in 2025 has committed to St. Johns for the 2026 season, setting up his next move while he continues to fight for another year of college eligibility.
Hall had initially been granted the extra season through a preliminary injunction before the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals later sided with the NCAA by granting a stay, leaving him ineligible for now. Hall and his attorney are still pursuing additional legal options, and his future with St. Johns hinges on whether that battle opens the door for him to play there this season. [Read more 🡒]