Paul Finebaum didn’t wait long to point a finger after Auburn’s latest painful loss.
The Tigers fell 44-39 to Florida in their SEC opener on Saturday, extending a brutal stretch that has now gone nearly 670 days since Auburn’s last home SEC win. On Monday morning, Finebaum made it clear he believes the blame starts at the top, taking aim at athletic director John Cohen during an appearance with Cole Cubelic and Greg McElroy.
“I still like Alex Golesh a lot, but I blame John Cohen, the athletic director, for this loss. This game was lost on Thanksgiving weekend in 2025 when John Cohen’s massive ego got in the way of hiring Jon Sumrall,” Finebaum said. “It should’ve been done, he intended to do it, every Auburn fan was expecting it.”
That coaching decision has lingered over Auburn since Hugh Freeze was fired last season. Sumrall quickly became the leading name for the job, and on paper the fit made sense. He’s from Huntsville, Ala., his wife was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority and graduated from Auburn, and his background in Alabama was part of the conversation.
But Florida moved fast just days before the Iron Bowl and hired Sumrall, forcing Auburn to pivot and land Golesh at the last minute.
Some around the situation have said Sumrall ended up at Florida because Cohen wanted to keep then-interim head coach DJ Durkin as defensive coordinator in the new staff, though that was never proven as fact.
“That was my thought as this game came to an end is that an athletic director cost Auburn a football game,” Finebaum said.
Finebaum did not put the entire mess on Golesh. He praised what Auburn’s new coach has done so far, while also unloading on the Tigers’ quarterback play and Durkin after Auburn’s defense gave up nearly 500 yards on Saturday.
“I thought Alex Golesh has done about as much as he could do. There’s still a learning curve,” Finebaum said.
“I’m still incredibly disappointed in Byrum Brown, and I’m even more disappointed with DJ Durkin, which is probably the reason Sumrall didn’t end up there because Cohen pushed him down his throat. I really don’t understand that defense and how, at times, lackadaisical they looked in the first half of that game.”
Finebaum’s outlook on Auburn has cooled since the offseason, when expectations were higher for Year 1 under Golesh. Now, with Tennessee, Georgia, LSU and Ole Miss still ahead, he believes the ceiling has already dropped.
“Those were my treetop observations,” Finebaum said. “I think Auburn can still have a decent season, but any chance of a great season went down the drain Saturday night.”
In Other News...
Auburn Fans Wont Love How Alex Golesh Framed The Vanderbilt Game
Auburn is still trying to find its footing in the SEC, and Alex Golesh is approaching Week 4 like a coach focused on the long view rather than a single alarm bell. He said the matchup with Vanderbilt is not a must-win, instead stressing preparation, consistency and the process of building the program the right way. Golesh also pointed to the Tigers recent defensive issues as an area that has to improve if this team is going to settle in and compete the way it wants to.
That framing may not sit well with a fan base that is already anxious about the early-season picture, especially with Vanderbilt entering unbeaten and working with a new starting quarterback. Auburn does not have the luxury of ignoring the stakes in conference play, and the game offers another test of whether the Tigers can tighten up on defense and show real progress in a league that rarely gives anyone much room to breathe. [Read more 🡒]
Byrum Brown Is Fueling Auburns Biggest Early Season Debate
Byrum Brown has quickly become one of the biggest reasons Auburn has stayed interesting through the first few weeks of the season. Entering Week 4, he ranks fourth in the SEC in passing yards with 756, while also adding 180 yards on the ground, and his production has come with a little bit of everything attached. He has thrown five touchdowns and four interceptions, and Auburn has leaned on a receiving group that includes transfers from USF and a true freshman as it tries to sort out its offensive identity.
The bigger question around Brown is how much of Auburns early offense should run through him while the rushing attack continues to struggle. He has already delivered in key moments, including a notable game against Florida in which he accounted for multiple touchdowns, and that kind of playmaking can change how the Tigers approach every week. For Auburn, the debate now is not whether Brown matters, but how far his arm and legs can carry an offense still looking for more balance. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Fans Need To See Which In-State Standouts Are Taking Off
Karlos Mays rise is another reminder that Alabamas best high school talent is already drawing national attention, and Auburn fans have plenty of reason to keep tabs on it. The defensive lineman, committed to Ohio State, is ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the state and the top-ranked lineman recruit in Alabama, putting him right at the center of the in-state conversation even as the next recruiting cycle starts to take shape.
There is also a broader pattern worth watching from last years top Alabama names once they got to college, with CD Morgan, EJ Crowell and DeShawn Spencer all beginning to show signs of early impact. Spencers path is especially relevant on the Plains, since Auburn coach Alex Golesh played a role in recruiting him, another small reminder that the states high-end talent is already linked back to Auburn in more ways than one. [Read more 🡒]