Auburn and Florida will walk into Saturday night’s SEC opener both unbeaten, but the friendly part of this coaching matchup is already over.
Auburn coach Alex Golesh made that clear Monday when asked about Florida coach Jon Sumrall, the first-year SEC head coach who also arrives at 2-0. The two have history, but Golesh wasn’t interested in turning it into a warm reunion.
“He said we were friends? Not this week we’re not,” Golesh said.
“I’ve got a ton of respect for Jon. We were both assistants in this league at the same time, and he did a great job at Troy, high-end job at Troy.
Did a high-end job at Tulane. I’ve got a ton of respect for how he works, ton of respect for who he is.
I think he does it the right way, competes like crazy. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.
This week, don’t care.”
Sumrall, who came to Florida from Tulane, brought his own sharp message earlier in the week. Though he grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, and his wife Ginny is an Auburn graduate, he brushed all of that aside before the game.
“There are ties, but Florida pays my mortgage,” Sumrall said in his press conference on Monday. “Any family that’s pulling against us they aren’t my family.
I don’t care what their last name is. I got a lot of respect for Auburn, great place and good people.
I got a lot of friends and crossover there. But I’m a Florida Gator and everybody affiliated with me closely is a Florida Gator.”
The only meeting between Golesh and Sumrall came in 2024, when Sumrall’s Tulane team beat Golesh’s South Florida squad 45-10.
Now they meet again with Auburn hosting Florida on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT, and the game will air on ESPN.
In Other News...
Auburns SEC Opener Just Got More Complicated For Its Secondary
Floridas availability report added another layer to Auburns SEC opener this week, with senior receiver Eric Singleton Jr. suddenly in question because of an ankle injury suffered in Week 1. Head coach Jon Sumrall said Singleton and defensive end Emmanuel Oyebadejo are out of their boots and have taken part in limited practice, which at least points to some progress as Saturdays game at Jordan-Hare Stadium approaches.
For Auburn, the uncertainty matters because the Tigers are preparing for a road-tested SEC test on ESPN without knowing exactly how much of Floridas passing game theyll have to handle. Singletons status could shape how often Auburn has to lean on its secondary early, and the fact that Florida is still working through injuries on both sides of the ball leaves one of the conferences first real measuring-stick games with more questions than answers. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Ground Surge Feels Real But One Bigger Test Still Awaits
Auburns ground game took a noticeable step forward against Southern Miss, and it was the kind of performance that gave the offense a sturdier feel. The Tigers averaged 6.7 yards per carry and piled up 343 rushing yards, with Alex Golesh pointing to a more balanced effort from Omar Mabson II, Jeremiah Cobb and Byrum Brown even as penalties wiped out some plays and slowed the momentum at times.
The next question is whether that surge can hold up when the competition stiffens. Auburn wants the running game to keep improving in the weeks ahead, and there is still competition to sort through up front among the offensive linemen, which makes the position battle as important as the box score. For all the signs of progress, the real test is still coming. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Has One Urgent Problem To Fix Before Florida Arrives
Auburn left its win over Southern Miss with a clearer sense of what is working up front, even if the performance still came with some rough edges. The offensive line looked better than it had recently, giving the Tigers more stability and helping the attack find a better rhythm, while the defensive front created enough pressure to keep the game in hand. There was also some frustration with a replay review on a close first down call, a reminder that even in a solid outing, the details can still feel choppy.
The bigger concern now is how quickly Auburn can turn that improvement into something sustainable before Florida arrives. Byrum Brown showed decisiveness and arm strength in the victory, but the Tigers will need more than one encouraging day from the line if they want to carry that confidence into a tougher matchup. With another week of college football reshuffling the conversation around the SEC, Auburns focus is far more local: clean up the issues that lingered, keep the pressure coming, and make sure the progress up front doesnt stop here. [Read more 🡒]