Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway is drawing strong reviews out of fall camp, and that’s the kind of development Auburn would rather not hear before Week 1.
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Baylor has liked what it has seen from the Florida transfer since he arrived in Waco. Nakos’ sources said, "Baylor has been impressed with Florida transfer QB DJ Lagway since his arrival back in Waco. One of the most-followed transfers this offseason, Lagway has been healthy and emerged as a leader for the Bears."
That health piece matters. Lagway’s availability has been the big question around him, and if he really is in good shape and settling in as a leader, Baylor’s ceiling rises fast. That doesn’t automatically make the Bears a favorite against Auburn in the Aflac Kickoff Game, but it does make them a lot more dangerous than a typical underdog.
There’s also a fit element here. Lagway is back in Texas, and he’s doing it with a play-caller who is not Billy Napier. For a player whose upside has always been obvious, that change could be exactly what he needed.
For Auburn, the challenge is clear: don’t let Lagway turn Week 1 into a problem.
DJ Durkin does have some continuity on defense, but the losses up front are significant. The EDGE group is down Keldric Faulk, Keyron Crawford, and Amaris Williams. Inside, the Tigers also lost Malik Blocton, Zykeivous Walker, and Bobby Jamison-Travis.
The linebacker group looks like the strength of the defense, with Xavier Atkins and Elijah Melendez leading the way in the middle. Jared Smith is also expected to get work at buck linebacker while still functioning as a typical end along the line. In the secondary, sophomores Eric Winters and AnQuon Fegans give Auburn stability at safety, but the cornerback situation is less certain.
That’s where Lagway could matter most. If Auburn has any soft spots early in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, he has the arm talent to find them.
The stakes around the opener go beyond one game, too. Auburn is supposed to be too heavy a favorite to stumble in Alex Golesh’s debut, and a loss would immediately hand the outside world a loud storyline.
If Baylor pulls the upset, plenty will point to the game being moved out of Jordan-Hare Stadium. Lagway, though, would deserve plenty of credit if he plays to his potential and helps deliver it.
Auburn does not need the kind of Week 1 result that sends the program right back into panic mode after five turbulent years of losing. A defeat wouldn’t bury the Golesh era, but it would make the mood around the program far uglier than Auburn wants heading into the rest of September.
And the schedule doesn’t exactly offer a breather. The 13 days before the Florida game could feel especially tense if Auburn opens with a loss to Baylor and Lagway, then has to deal with Florida at home after Golesh beat the Gators with USF last September. Add in the possibility of being 1-2, and there would be plenty of frustration to go around - including the idea that Jon Sumrall made the right call by not choosing the Tigers.
So Lagway’s encouraging camp buzz is good news for Baylor, but it’s not so great for Auburn. If the worst-case scenario shows up on September 5, the ripple effects could be immediate.
In Other News...
Auburns Running Back Battle Behind Jeremiah Cobb Is Getting Real
Auburns second fall camp practice offered a first real look at how the running back room is taking shape behind Jeremiah Cobb, and the answer so far is simple enough: it is still very much a competition. Offensive coordinator Joel Gordon said the group keeps improving, but the staff is still sorting through the depth chart while camp moves forward and the reps start to mean a little more.
The drills showed why this one may take a while to settle. Different backs flashed different traits, with some handling contact well and others showing areas they still need to clean up, which is exactly what makes August so important. For Auburn, the challenge now is turning those daily flashes into something more clearly defined before the season starts to force the issue. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Quarterback Fate Now Rides On A Transfer Question
The transfer portal has become impossible to ignore in college football, especially at quarterback, where recent national championship games have featured multiple passers who arrived from somewhere else. Auburn is part of that conversation now, with the SEC once again leaning on portal additions to shape rosters, fill holes and, in some cases, change the entire trajectory of a season. It is not just about finding depth anymore. For teams trying to push into championship range, the portal has become a fast track to relevance.
Auburns quarterback picture is now tied to one of those portal decisions, and that adds real weight to the coming season. The Tigers have watched the broader SEC load up on incoming talent at quarterback, running back, receiver and on defense, but the most important question on the Plains is whether the answer under center comes from outside the program. If the portal piece clicks, Auburn can start talking about upside. If it does not, the rest of the roster has to do a lot more heavy lifting. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Camp Already Has A Roster Battle Fans Will Notice
Auburn hit the field for a preseason practice session Thursday morning as the Tigers continued their early work toward the 2026 season, and the roster picture already had a few wrinkles. Several players were either absent or working on the side because of injuries, including Tai Buster and Chris Murray, while others were limited in non-contact work or spent portions of the session with the training staff. Head coach Alex Golesh stayed active throughout drills, moving between groups and staying involved as the staff pushed through another camp workout.
The bigger takeaway for Auburn watchers, though, was how much attention the coaches were paying to certain spots on the field, where the first signs of a competition were already easy to spot. Position coaches were hands-on during the session, and the way reps were divided suggested there are jobs on the line even this early in camp. For a team still sorting itself out, those practice-day details can matter as much as anything on the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]