Auburn’s group of former South Florida players has already been here before. Byrum Brown, Chas Nimrod, Cole Best and the other 10 Tigers who followed Alex Golesh from USF know what it looks like to beat Florida, because they were part of the Bulls team that slipped past the Gators 18-16 in the Swamp last season.
But as Auburn prepares for Florida on Saturday in its SEC opener, that win isn’t carrying much weight inside the building.
“It’s a new year and new team,” Nimrod told reporters on Tuesday. “I just look at it as another game to focus on ourselves and focus on all the little details that we just need to fix up.”
That mindset fits the reality of this matchup. Florida looks different, too.
Like Auburn, the Gators changed coaches last season, with former Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall taking over for Billy Naiper. Napier’s departure sent a wave of assistants and players elsewhere, leaving Auburn to face a roster that is largely rebuilt.
Even so, Florida isn’t starting from scratch. The Gators brought back some familiar pieces, including three of their top four leading tacklers from last season. Those players were part of the defensive core in last year’s loss to USF.
Still, Brown said Auburn hasn’t leaned heavily on that film. The Tigers have spent more time studying Florida’s first two games this season and Kentucky’s defense from last year, when Florida defensive coordinator Brad White was in 2025 and brought concepts of his own to Gainesville.
“They’re physical, they’re sound, they get after the Q, but we’re focused on us,” Brown said of Florida’s defense under White. “We have a great plan in place to take care of that and we’ll be just fine.”
There’s some uncertainty in what Florida’s defense has really been so far. Through two games, the Gators are allowing 12 points per game and rank sixth in the SEC in fewest yards per play allowed at 3.96, but they haven’t yet faced a Power Four opponent.
Their most recent outing was especially one-sided: Florida allowed just three points and 210 total yards against Campbell. Auburn still expects a test, though, and Best pointed to the experience on the other side.
“A lot of them have played a lot of ball, so you see a lot of veteran-type stuff on film where guys just know where they need to be,” Best said. “Not really a whole lot of young guy mistakes, if you will.”
Saturday’s game is set for 6 p.m. CT at Jordan-Hare Stadium and will be shown on ESPN.
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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 Heads To Florida With One Big Question About Its Identity
Auburn heads into Week 3 with a familiar kind of test waiting in Gainesville, the sort that tends to expose what kind of team a program really is in September. Florida and Auburn both want to lean on physical football, but ESPN analyst Cole Cubelic sees the Gators as having the edge in that area, especially on offense, where line play and the ability to move bodies can set the tone early.
For Auburn, the question is whether its identity can hold up when the game turns into a trench fight. The Tigers have gotten a lift from the return of key edge rushers on defense, but the offensive line has been uneven enough to cast doubt on the rushing attacks ceiling. If Auburn cant match Floridas physicality up front, the rest of the trip could get uncomfortable in a hurry. [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 🡒]