Alex Golesh does not sound like a coach easing into things. Not with Baylor waiting in the opener, not with a national stage in Atlanta, and not with his first game at Auburn landing on September 5 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Golesh called the matchup a welcome challenge as the Tigers begin the 2026 season against a Baylor team he sees as dangerous even with the usual early-season unknowns.
"I'm excited to start off with a good opponent," Golesh told 365 Sports. "Any time you get to play on a national stage, especially that early in the season, it's huge for us. This is a big opportunity for us in a lot of ways."
Auburn beat Baylor 38-24 in Waco last season, but Golesh made it clear he views this version of the Bears as a different problem. Baylor has had defensive coaching changes, yet Golesh still sees an offense that can make life miserable.
"Defensively was a change. Offensively, really, really tough to stop.
It's a unique scheme in itself," Golesh said. "I've got so much respect for Coach Aranda going back to the Wisconsin and LSU days."
He also pointed out that both teams are walking into the opener with plenty to sort out. Baylor has roster turnover, and Auburn is doing the same under a completely new staff.
"There's some unknowns," Golesh said. "Obviously going to be a challenge for them as well with some roster turnover, a change obviously wholesale here."
Golesh's admiration for Baylor runs deeper than this matchup. He said he has followed the program’s offensive rise since his time as an assistant in the Big 12, when Baylor’s transformation under Art Briles grabbed the attention of the entire league.
"When we got in the Big 12 in 2016, we were all trying to figure out how Baylor got to where they got," Golesh said. "Anytime somebody has success that hadn't had recent success, it gets everybody's attention."
The explosive passing game was the headline, but Golesh said the part that stood out most was the way Baylor could punish teams on the ground.
"The naked eye saw the explosive plays," he said. "But how they were able to run the football was just as fascinating. Where they got really, really good was when that offensive line got really, really good."
He said that style helped push the conference in a new direction.
"Now you've seen the evolution in our league where just about half the league is using some version of tempo and some version of spacing," Golesh said. "It's been fascinating to watch everybody make it their own and evolve."
Golesh also singled out Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway, a former Auburn opponent from his time at Florida. He called Lagway "tough as nails" and said the quarterback’s growth is easy to see.
"I've got a lot of respect for him," Golesh said. "Everybody you talked to about him talks about the leader that he is, the work ethic he has, and then you can see the talent on the tape. I think it'll be a great matchup."
For Auburn, the game is also a chance to put Golesh’s new program in front of a big audience. The Tigers are close enough to campus for Atlanta to feel familiar territory, and Golesh expects Auburn support to show up in force.
"It's all but sold out now," Golesh said. "It should be an electric crowd."
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. on ABC.
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