Alex Golesh’s first game as Auburn’s head coach arrives with no shortage of intrigue, but the biggest story on Saturday may be whether the Tigers look like a team that’s already been living in this system for a while.
That’s the hope, anyway.
Auburn opens the 2026 season against Baylor, and after an offseason full of questions, Week 1 finally offers a chance to see what actually changed. Golesh has hammered home the same themes for months: details, situational football and maturity. The Tigers even ran through a full mock game week to prepare for exactly what this opener should feel like.
There’s also a built-in advantage that most first-year staffs don’t get. Byrum Brown, Chas Nimrod, Cole Best, Cole Skinner and others already know Golesh’s offense from South Florida, which should keep Auburn from looking like a group learning the basics on the fly.
“I think Auburn has an advantage over a lot of the teams with new coaches that you saw because they brought in so many, especially on offense, they brought in so many guys that already know the system.”
That said, the Tigers still have to show it on the field.
One of the clearest places to start is the run game, because Auburn already proved it can hurt Baylor there. Last season, Auburn piled up more than 300 rushing yards against the Bears and still won by two touchdowns even with Sawyer Robertson throwing for more than 400 yards. Golesh now brings an offense that wants to lean into the ground game even more.
The numbers point in that direction. Baylor went 0-7 last season when it allowed 165 or more rushing yards, while Alex Golesh averaged 212 yards per game at South Florida in 2025.
Auburn has Jeremiah Cobb ready for a bigger role as the featured back, Omar Mabson has earned plenty of offseason buzz, and Bryson Washington now sits on Auburn’s sideline after leading Baylor in rushing last season. Brown, of course, adds another layer after rushing for more than 1,000 yards at South Florida a year ago.
If Auburn is going to control this game, that’s probably where it starts.
The ripple effect could be huge for Brown as a passer, too. Baylor may be forced to crowd the box and dare him to win outside.
That would make sense from the Bears’ perspective, especially if they want to cut off the run game before it gets rolling. But Auburn believes Brown is ready for more as a thrower.
Nimrod pointed to Brown’s improved confidence in camp and his ability to fit passes into tight windows.
If Baylor commits extra bodies to the run, Brown should get chances outside against a receiver group that has several players trying to break through.
On the other side of the ball, Auburn’s pass rush gets an immediate test against DJ Lagway and a Baylor offensive line that brings back only one starter. Auburn spent camp watching Jared Smith emerge as what could be its biggest defensive breakout, and this is the kind of matchup that could tell the Tigers a lot early.
Lagway has the tools, but the questions have followed him, especially with decision-making. He led the SEC with 14 interceptions last season. If Auburn can pressure him without blitzing, that would say plenty about the shape of this defense under Durkin and give the Tigers a much better idea of what the pass rush can be this season.
The same goes for the offensive line, though Baylor may not be the perfect measuring stick there. Auburn thinks the unit is better.
Stanton Ramil is healthy. Best and Skinner arrived with experience and communication from South Florida.
Jacob Strand has also pushed for a role, and the staff has spent camp trying to settle on seven or eight linemen it can trust.
Still, Baylor’s defense may not be the group that truly reveals whether Auburn’s line is fixed. Florida, Vanderbilt and Tennessee look like the real checkpoints for that. Saturday can offer hints, but probably not the final answer.
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Auburn Fans Suddenly Have A Real LSU Dilemma
LSUs push to stock its roster with former NFL players has become one of the SECs most unusual off-field flashpoints, and it has put Auburn in an awkward spot with a game still on the schedule. The conference has drawn plenty of criticism for the situation, and officials are weighing possible responses ranging from sanctions to expulsion, but nothing has been decided yet because the process is still tied up in a legal hearing.
For Auburn fans, the practical question is simpler than the politics: whether the Tigers should just play the game and move on, or let the controversy reshape how they feel about LSU altogether. A boycott does not appear to be on the table, which means Auburn is likely headed into a matchup shadowed by a bigger SEC fight that has nothing to do with the lines on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Jared Smiths Rise Could Change Auburns Biggest Defensive Question
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For a defense that wants to be tougher to block and quicker to finish plays, that kind of rise matters. Smiths development could help answer one of Auburns biggest questions before the opener, especially if the pass rush comes together the way the staff thinks it might. The encouraging part is clear enough already, even if the full payoff still has to play out once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns New Staff Just Sent An Early Message Before Baylor
Auburns new coaching staff spent part of the preseason trying to make the first real week feel a little less foreign. Led by Alex Golesh, the Tigers ran a mock game week ahead of the upcoming season and the opener against Baylor, using the rehearsal to get players and coaches inside the rhythm they will need once the games count.
DJ Durkin called the experience extremely valuable, especially for the way it helped everyone settle into routines and tighten communication. For a staff still building its own habits, that kind of dress rehearsal can matter just as much as any scheme work, and Auburn will find out soon enough whether the early message carried over when Baylor finally arrives. [Read more 🡒]