Auburn has the week off, but there’s still a game in Alabama that ought to have Tiger fans paying attention.
Georgia is heading to Bryant-Denny Stadium to play Alabama, weather permitting, with Tropical Storm Isaias on the way to the state. For now, the game is still set to be played, and President Donald Trump plans on attending.
Alex Golesh said he’ll be watching closely with Georgia still ahead on Auburn’s schedule for October 17 in Athens. He also made it clear why the bye week matters.
"Really closely," Golesh said when asked if he'd be watching UGA-Alabama. "I think like I mentioned earlier, it's really important.
"It gives you the ability to reset. It gives you the ability to study yourself, where normal game week, you're studying what you've done, but it lets you take a deeper dive.
And then it gives you an extra week to prepare for one of the best teams in the country if not the best team in the country here in Georgia. It's big.
It comes at a good time, and we certainly need it."
That matchup will also feature a long list of Auburn recruiting and flip targets in attendance. Among them are 3-star cornerback Preston Glasco of Loganville, Georgia; 5-star quarterback Elijah Haven of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; 4-star quarterback Trent Seaborn of Alabaster, Alabama; 4-star EDGE Tyler Younger of Norcross, Georgia; 4-star quarterback Kingston Preyear of Alexander City, Alabama; 3-star running back Nigel Newkirk of Gainesville, Georgia; 3-star EDGE Jeremiah Beverly Regel of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; 3-star defensive lineman Kavarris Duncan of Alpine, Alabama; 3-star offensive lineman Stafford Willis of Arab, Alabama; and 3-star cornerback Braylen Gibbs of Knoxville, Tennessee.
For Auburn, the bigger picture is impossible to ignore. Georgia and Alabama are the kind of teams Tiger fans should expect Auburn to be playing on a regular basis. Instead, with two losses already and an interior offensive line that still doesn’t have a clear pecking order near the midpoint of the regular season, that standard feels a long way off.
It’s difficult to picture Auburn having a 2026 game worthy of a presidential visit. It’s also hard to see ESPN College GameDay making the Tigers the host this season.
And as for the rest of this year, meaningful stakes feel just as far away. Even getting through October with a win looks like a major challenge, with Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss on the schedule - and two of those three coming on the road.
That’s why watching Alabama and Georgia should hit differently for Auburn fans. It’s not some unreachable level of football. It only feels that way after five years of futility, including four under athletic director John Cohen.
Auburn fans deserve better than spending the bye week looking over at what their rivals are doing.
In Other News...
Jackson Arnold Is Giving Auburn Fans An Uncomfortable New Comparison
Jackson Arnolds move to UNLV is starting to look like one of the more notable transfer stories in the sport, and Auburn fans have every reason to notice. Through the first five weeks of the 2026 season, On3 has ranked the former Tigers quarterback as the No. 3 most impactful transfer in college football, a reminder of how quickly a change of scenery can alter the narrative around a player.
Arnold has been productive for the Rebels in a way he never quite managed at Auburn, piling up 1,063 passing yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 270 rushing yards and five scores on the ground. UNLV is 3-2, and his early surge has only sharpened the uncomfortable comparison for Auburn supporters who watched his 2025 season in orange and blue end without this kind of efficiency. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Offensive Line Search Could Open The Door For Two Young Linemen
Auburns offensive line has been one of the most unsettled parts of the roster this season, and the shuffle has only continued as the Tigers have tried to find the right mix up front. Seven different players have started at least once, nine have logged meaningful snaps, and the latest look has included true freshman Wilson Zierer and sophomore transfer Kenneth McManus IV stepping in at guard after earlier starts from Jacob Strand and Cole Skinner.
For a group still searching for stability, that kind of turnover can be frustrating, but it also keeps the door open for younger players to carve out a role. Head coach Alex Golesh said the Tigers will keep leaning into opportunities for sophomores Kail Ellis and Deryc Plazz when they can bring an advantage, which suggests the battle for playing time on the line is far from settled as Auburn keeps sorting through its best combinations. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Fans Are Split On The Direction John Cohen Is Taking
John Cohens fourth year running Auburn athletics has given fans a pretty clear sense of his priorities, even if they do not all agree with them. He has already overseen multiple coaching hires, including two football coaches, while the department has pushed ahead with facility upgrades and looked for fresh revenue streams, including the decision to move a football game to Atlanta as part of NIL opportunities.
Among Auburn supporters, the reaction has been mixed. Some point to the progress in non-football sports and the fundraising momentum as signs the athletic department is moving in the right direction, while others remain frustrated by the football choices and uneasy about taking games out of state. For a fan base that tends to measure everything through the lens of football, Cohens approach has become one of the more debated topics around the program. [Read more 🡒]