Football News: 5-14-2026
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Dudley Dent
7:53 AM (1 hour ago) 7:53 AM
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Auburn Football News: 5-14-2026
Kickoff time for Baylor matchup proves once again Auburn screwed up by moving game:
https://flywareagle.com/kickoff-time-for-baylor-matchup-proves-once-again-auburn-screwed-up-by-moving-game-01krf4qj3j4y
Alex Golesh expects home atmosphere when Auburn faces Baylor in Atlanta:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/05/alex-golesh-expects-home-atmosphere-when-auburn-faces-baylor-in-atlanta.html
Golesh confident Atlanta will feel like home for Auburn's opener vs. Baylor:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-tigers-football-baylor-game-atlanta-tigers-2026-kickoff-285161803/
Auburn fans can already circle the hardest game on the 2026 football schedule:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-fans-can-already-circle-the-hardest-game-on-the-2026-football-schedule-01krh40kdrfk
5 Auburn defensive players not named Xavier Atkins who need to step up in 2026:
https://flywareagle.com/5-auburn-defensive-players-not-named-xavier-atkins-who-need-to-step-up-in-2026-01krheef6cgf
What does Alex Golesh want Auburn football’s identity to be?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/05/what-does-alex-golesh-want-auburn-footballs-identity-to-be.html
CBS Sports Details Auburn’s ‘Patience Meter’ Towards Alex Golesh:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/cbs-sports-auburn-patience-meter-alex-golesh-01krh77vv5sw
Auburn Cracks Top Eight for Florida-Based 2027 Safety:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/auburn-cracks-top-eight-for-florida-based-2027-safety-01krh7wpajsp
Auburn makes final cut for 2027 EDGE Jackson Vaughn:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/recruiting/2026/05/13/auburn-football-recruiting-jackson-vaughn-final-schools-commitment/90059261007/
Auburn Enters Race for Prospect with Growing D1 Interest:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/auburn-enters-race-for-prospect-with-growing-d1-interest-01krh6n6998k
Three-star DL Kalib Spivey locks in 'dream' visit to Auburn:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/recruiting/2026/05/13/auburn-football-recruiting-kalib-spivey-official-visit/90032916007/
Auburn battling CFP contenders for four-star safety Davion Jones:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/recruiting/2026/05/13/auburn-football-recruiting-davion-jones-top-five/90060377007/
It's never been more clear that Auburn dodged a major Lane Kiffin bullet:
https://flywareagle.com/it-s-never-been-more-clear-that-auburn-dodged-a-major-lane-kiffin-bullet-01krf92te1yt
Kickoff time for Baylor matchup proves once again Auburn screwed up by moving game
By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
When it was announced that Auburn was moving its season-opening game from Jordan-Hare Stadium to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, I was openly skeptical. In my opinion, the fewer neutral-site games, the better, as this situation has cost the city of Auburn and local businesses millions of dollars.
And while Auburn athletic director John Cohen explained his reasoning for moving the game, including $5 million in NIL and national television, taking it off campus after fans have filled Jordan-Hare during the bleakest of times, especially during a long holiday weekend, just doesn’t add up.
Now that the kickoff time of 2:30 p.m. CT (3:30 p.m. in Atlanta) has been announced, the move befuddles me even more. If the move was to get more eyeballs, that might have just fallen by the wayside as the Tigers and Bears play in the middle of the opening Saturday, when, respectfully, there will be much bigger games going on.
Will Auburn fans still show up for the game?
Last year, moving the game to Friday night and having it be the only primetime matchup on a national network made every bit of sense. This just seems like an unwise decision by everyone involved, including those who decide when a game should be played.
If the city of Atlanta was looking forward to a full day of tailgating by a mob of Auburn fans for what many thought would be a night game, that just fell apart. And for the hotels in Atlanta, many reservations might have just been canceled, as a majority of the crowd (read: Auburn fans) likely live close enough to travel to the city and back on the same day.
But what if Auburn fans now decide not to go? It's Labor Day Weekend, and there are plenty of things to do besides traveling to Atlanta for a game. If Auburn doesn't fill the stadium, you know Baylor won't. I'm confident that those with game-day condos and houses in Auburn would loved to spend the weekend on the Plains.
If the organizers of the Alfac Kickoff Game wanted more hype, the game would have kicked off at 6 p.m. ET at the earliest. Even though there isn’t much tailgating room around the downtown stadium, give the fans what they want: a day of drinking followed by a game featuring two teams who enter the season with something to prove.
But all of this could have been avoided had Auburn not sold out for the price that comes with a neutral-site game. I’m confident that more Baylor fans would have come to the Plains to witness a game in Jordan-Hare and feel the SEC campus atmosphere than would have flown to Atlanta, which is a great city, to attend a matchup in a pro stadium with very little atmosphere.
All the improvements that Auburn’s athletic department has made and plans to make to Jordan-Hare won’t matter if they continue to play these neutral-site games instead of at one of the cathedrals of college football.
I’m sure Auburn and Baylor fans will have a good weekend, and hopefully the game is a good one, but with the timing of the kickoff and all of the other factors going into the rematch of last year’s game in Waco, things could have been significantly better.
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Alex Golesh expects home atmosphere when Auburn faces Baylor in Atlanta
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Alex Golesh was still at South Florida when Auburn made the decision to move its 2026 season opener to Atlanta, but the Tigers’ new head coach is excited to begin his Auburn tenure at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The matchup with Baylor, which was originally set to take place at Jordan-Hare Stadium, was moved to Atlanta last fall. It will now be the 2026 Aflac Kickoff Game, which will offer Auburn additional third-party NIL opportunities. However, it also means Auburn will only play six home games this season.
“The people here in Auburn maybe aren’t as fired up in the sense that that home game got moved to Atlanta, but there’s a lot of advantages for us,” Golesh said during an interview with 680 The Fan in Atlanta. “We’ve got such a huge alumni base there, really just the entire state of Georgia, that place will be rocking with blue and orange.”
Golesh also described it as a recruiting advantage for Auburn, who often recruits heavily out of Atlanta. More than anything else, though, moving the game to Atlanta will boost Auburn’s NIL efforts.
In an interview with AL.com after the move was announced, Auburn athletic director John Cohen said it could be considered “irresponsible” not to move the game, given the third-party NIL opportunities it will provide.
“Let’s face it, name, image and likeness is now a primary focus for student athletes making decisions,” Cohen said in October. “I’m not saying that’s bad. I’m not saying it’s good. I’m saying it’s 2025 and that’s the lens we have to look through.”
AL.com reported in December that Auburn is set to make $4 million in its base deal with Aflac for the game and can still make another $4 million if it sells out its ticket allotment for the game.
“I never thought we would get to the level of this game actually moving,” Cohen said, “because I never thought the type of NIL opportunities could possibly get to the level that they got to.”
This year’s season opener against Baylor will be a rematch of the 2025 Week 1 matchup. Auburn won that game 38-24 in Waco. The 2026 edition in Atlanta is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT on Sept. 5 and will be televised on ABC.
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Golesh confident Atlanta will feel like home for Auburn's opener vs. Baylor
By Nathan King
The first football game of the Alex Golesh era at Auburn won't be played in Jordan-Hare Stadium, but the Tigers' new head coach is confident Atlanta will feel like home.
The Tigers are playing Baylor in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 1 instead of back home on campus — announced this week as a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff on ABC. Though Golesh wasn't around for that decision by Auburn and its administration, he understands why part of his new fanbase was and is irked by it.
"The people here in Auburn aren't as fired up with that home game being moved to Atlanta, but there are a lot of advantages for us," Golesh said Wednesday on 680 The Fan in Atlanta.
Last October, Auburn announced its return game of the home-and-home series with Baylor would no longer be played at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2026. Instead, the Tigers entered into an agreement with the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta to move the season opener a couple hours away, with NIL money serving as the driving factor.
In a first for college football, Aflac will provide opportunities for Auburn players to promote the game and earn money through NIL channels. In short, Auburn is trading the revenue of a home Saturday on the Plains — which now helps pay players, too, with revenue sharing — for more direct funding to its roster. Aflac will provide $4 million upfront, and another $4 million if Auburn sells out its ticket allotment. That money can go directly to the Tigers' roster through NIL and help to offset a revenue-sharing "cap."
There was plenty of backlash from Auburn fans, though, about losing a home game — especially in a season where the Tigers only had seven of them, and now just six. Then-head coach Hugh Freeze said the decision would help Auburn "long term," though, and add to the program's "coffer" to build a roster.
Golesh now inherits that program. Both Auburn and Baylor went 5-7 last season. Freeze was fired, and Dave Aranda sits squarely on the hot seat entering 2026. The Bears were No. 122 nationally in scoring defense and return only one starter on offense.
"It's a good opponent in Baylor," Golesh said. "They've got a lot of new and a lot of change there, as well. It'll certainly be great for us from a recruiting standpoint to be playing in Atlanta."
Auburn is playing in Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the first time since beating Washington to open the 2018 season. The Tigers played the first college football game after the venue was opened, losing to Georgia in the 2017 SEC title game, and also lost to UCF that season in the Peach Bowl.
"We've got such a huge alumni base there," Golesh said. "That place will be rocking with blue and orange. And then it's a national stage, on ABC, right in the middle of the day on the opening weekend. I think it will be huge for us."
Baylor is the first of three Power Four matchups for Auburn in the first month of the season, all of which will be at least home-field-adjacent. After playing Southern Miss in Week 2, Auburn will have back-to-back SEC home games against Florida and Vanderbilt.
On Friday night to open last season, Auburn defeated Baylor 38-24 in Waco. The Tigers racked up 309 rushing yards, and Rayshawn Pleasant's 98-yard kickoff return touchdown late in the third quarter helped Auburn keep the Bears at arm's length, after Baylor regained some life with a touchdown to make it 24-17.
It will also be the first time Auburn has opened up a season at a "neutral site" since Bo Nix's last-minute touchdown to Seth Williams lifted the Tigers over Oregon at Cowboys Stadium in 2019.
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Auburn fans can already circle the hardest game on the 2026 football schedule
By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
Greetings, Alex Golesh. Welcome to the gauntlet that is an SEC football schedule.
The first-year Auburn head coach has a massive challenge in front of him as he tries to build the Tigers into a winning program again. No longer are the likes of Rice and UAB on Golesh’s schedule, but full of challenges at some of the toughest environments in college football.
But where may Golesh and his team get somewhat of a break, and where might they have to dig deep into their will with a brutal stretch? For the latter, just look at the three-game stretch from October 17-31.
Let’s rank Auburn football’s 2026 opponents from easiest to most difficult.
12. Samford (Nov. 21)
The classic non-conference game a week before the Iron Bowl, Golesh should be able to give his regulars some rest in the second half against the Bulldogs and start preparing for his first-ever Iron Bowl.
11. Southern Miss (Sep. 12)
Charles Huff led the Golden Eagles to a 7-6 record last season, but departed for Memphis after only one season in Hattiesburg. Blake Anderson is now in charge, and while Southern Miss can be dangerous, the rest of the teams on Auburn’s schedule are much more talented.
10. at Mississippi State (Nov. 14)
It’s never simple going to Starkville and battling the cow bells, but the Bulldogs are still trying to find their way under Jeff Lebby as he enters his third season as head coach. It could also be his last, as his record stands at 7-18.
9. Arkansas (Nov. 7)
A brand-new coaching staff, led by Ryan Silverfield, hopes to make the Razorbacks relevant again. That won’t happen this year.
8. Vanderbilt (Sep. 26)
Gone are Auburn-killer Diego Pavia and tight end Eli Stowers, but Clark Lea will still have a solid defense. Still, some of the frustration from the past two years should be taken out on the Commodores in Jordan-Hare.
7. Baylor (Sep. 5)
The season opener that should have been in Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Bears have a talented quarterback in former Florida starter DJ Lagway. It will still be a pro-Auburn crowd in Atlanta.
6. Florida (Sep. 19)
In a battle of coaches Auburn pursued this offseason, Jon Sumrall brings his Gators to the Plains in his first season in charge in Gainesville. The Gators should definitely improve over last season, but so should Auburn. It’s a matchup of what used to be a great annual rivalry game.
5. at Tennessee (Oct. 3)
The Vols will have a new quarterback and go-to receiver, but running back DeSean Bishop returns after putting up 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. Josh Heupel has another team that hopes to take a huge step toward the playoffs.
4. at Alabama (Nov. 28)
Can Golesh do what no Auburn coach since Gene Chizik has done and get a win in Tuscaloosa? It’s not as if the Crimson Tide are world-beaters going into the season. A win in Bryant-Denny would go a long way in getting the rivalry back to even.
3. LSU (Oct. 24)
The middle game of what is a brutal stretch for the Tigers, Lane Kiffin brings in his team (and circus) to Jordan-Hare in his first year in charge of the Bayou Bengals. LSU has playoff aspirations, and a win here would be sweet for Golesh.
2. at Ole Miss (Oct. 31)
Pete Golding did an incredible job leading the Rebels to the cusp of the national title game last season after Kiffin’s departure. Now, he has expectations in Oxford as high as possible with the return of quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. CBS Sports has already predicted this game to be a trap for Ole Miss.
1. at Georgia (Oct. 17)
If Golesh has put massive focus on the Iron Bowl, he might want to concentrate on The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry as well, as the Bulldogs have dominated Auburn in the last 20 years.
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5 Auburn defensive players not named Xavier Atkins who need to step up in 2026
By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
Perhaps the biggest signing Alex Golesh did when he took the Auburn head coaching job was not in the transfer portal or in recruiting, but keeping D.J. Durkin on as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator.
While Auburn’s offense continued to struggle last season, Durkin’s defense kept the Tigers in many games and gave them a chance to win. Now, with hopefully an improved and explosive offense led by quarterback Byrum Brown, the defense will make an even bigger impact as Auburn tries to turn the tables.
We all know what Xavier Atkins is capable of, but who are the other players on Auburn’s defense that are critical in making Durkin’s unit just as fearsome this season? Here are my five.
Elijah Melendez
Melendez showed flashes of his talent as a freshman, picking off two passes while racking up three tackles for a loss and a sack. Now, opposite Atkins, he will have to be consistent, and someone Durkin can count on at the second level of the defense. Melendez absolutely loves to hit people, making him the prototypical college linebacker.
Cody Sigler
The Arkansas State transfer earned rave reviews from almost everyone during spring practice, especially defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams.
"He's a dog, man," the coach said. "The competition stuff, there's no excuse. He's taking double reps, taking someone else's reps, not making any excuses about it, and still winning. He's a dog. He's going to bring a competitiveness to our room that I think is going to be big and what's needed. Cody is going to be a big part of what we accomplish this year."
The veteran recorded seven tackles for a loss and five sacks with six quarterback hurries last year. He will be critical to Auburn’s pass rush.
Rayshawn Pleasant
With Kayin Lee leaving this offseason for Tennessee, Pleasant steps right into the cornerback role opposite Andre Jordan Jr., who transferred in from UCLA. While he played a bit of corner last season, he will have to step up in a massive way while also handling his duties on special teams. He can be a dangerous defender, and if he picks off a ball and has an open field in front of him, no one is going to catch him.
Eric Winters
The Enterprise, Ala., native got thrown into the fire as a freshman last season and should be even better after tallying 33 total tackles, two tackles for a loss, a sack and a pass broken up. His offseason in the gym put some weight on his 6-foot-2 frame, and he will be ready to be one of the most feared safeties in the SEC.
Da’Shawn Womack
Chances are, Womack won’t have the same impact that Keldric Faulk had in his three years on the Plains, but someone has to step into the shoes of the first-round draft pick. While he has been in college already for three seasons and has appeared in 35 games, none have come as a starter. For Auburn to pressure the quarterback, he has to raise his game.
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What does Alex Golesh want Auburn football’s identity to be?
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Alex Golesh is taking over an Auburn football program that failed under each of its last two head coaches.
The Tigers haven’t posted a winning season since 2020, and neither Bryan Harsin nor Hugh Freeze could turn things around. In Freeze’s case, it wasn’t necessarily a talent issue, meaning the task for Golesh is bigger than just signing the best players.
Golesh seems to realize that. Bringing in players to build a culture around was a major factor during the transfer portal window, which was one reason why 13 players followed Golesh from South Florida.
“I think identity is truly what people can see. And we spent a lot of time talking through it, identifying it, teaching it, showing it,” Golesh said during an interview with 680 The Fan in Atlanta. “It’s maybe hard to quantify sometimes, but they’re this. More than anything else, that’s why I think when you take a job, it’s important that it fits you, it’s got to match who you are. And I can tell you, six months in, this Auburn job fits me.”
Golesh was asked what he wants fans to immediately notice when they watch his team this fall. Within his answer, Golesh talked about physical and mental toughness and a blue-collar approach to what he says Auburn football was built on.
“You’re not affected by the result of a play, you’re affected by the energy your teammates bring,” Golesh said. “And so, this physically and mentally tough piece is huge. The ability to lead, the ability to follow, I think, is absolutely huge.”
Being connected as a team is another big point of emphasis for Golesh. That’s something he highlighted as a concern leaving spring practice, as his team with over 60 new players is still getting to know each other.
“You can scan a bench, and you could scan the sideline on TV and say, ‘Man, like that group is connected,” Golesh said. “These dudes are in it for each other, and that group that’s process driven, you maybe don’t truly see, but you can see when guys play, are they organized? Are they thorough? Are they detailed? That’s the coaches too. That’s not just the kids, and that’s that is what I want our identity to be.”
Auburn is close to two and a half months away from the first preseason camp under Golesh, where preparations for the 2026 season will officially begin. The Tigers will play the first game of the Golesh era on Sept. 5 when they face Baylor in Atlanta.
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CBS Sports Details Auburn’s ‘Patience Meter’ Towards Alex Golesh
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
As Alex Golesh’s first season as the head coach of the Auburn Tigers looms ever closer, Auburn fans are still working to figure out exactly what defines ‘success’ under Golesh. Like many new coaches, Golesh has expectations to work with on the Plains, but CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford believes there may even be a little less patience for Golesh than many believe.
In an article ranking every new head coach’s ‘patience meter,’ or more simply, what each coach’s program needs to look like in 2026, Golesh was given a three out of five, meaning that though expectations are not as high as those of Lane Kiffin at LSU, Golesh still has quite a few standards to meet if he wants to earn the long-term support of the Auburn faithful.
“Auburn didn't make this hire for a slow, methodical rebuild,” Crawford wrote. “The Tigers want immediate traction in the SEC arms race. Golesh's offensive track record creates intrigue, especially with tempo and quarterback development… early competitiveness against Georgia and Alabama will define whether belief in the new era takes hold quickly, especially once this roster is flushed of former South Florida players after this season.”
Crawford certainly has a point: Auburn fans are tired of the same lackluster seasons year after year. After all, the Tigers have yet to string together a winning season since 2020, the year Gus Malzahn was fired. Unlike many new head coaches stepping into SEC roles, Golesh faces the expectation of early success, and he will need to find some crucial wins if he wants to keep the support of the Auburn faithful.
Golesh certainly has the pieces to put together this kind of season, though, as his backfield is statistically one of the best in the country, but they will still need to continue that level of production if the Tigers are to compete in big-time matchups.
Additionally, expectations are sky-high for Byrum Brown, with whom much of the opinion of Golesh will likely be tied in year one. Brown was one of the best quarterbacks in football last year at USF, but many are concerned that his level of play will not translate to a grueling SEC schedule. Golesh has maintained that Brown is ready and able, so Auburn fans will just have to see what happens come SEC play.
Keeping expectations in check: The Tigers will likely not be a Playoff team this year, as there are simply too many moving parts that have yet to, and likely will not, settle over the next season as Golesh finds his footing for the first time as a head coach in the SEC. However, a push to prove that the Tigers could be a playoff team with the right development could be instrumental to Golesh’s long-term future.
So, though the expectation is not for Golesh to immediately win a championship, the Tigers and their fans still have high expectations for him that he will need to deliver on if he is looking to stay on the Plains long-term.
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Auburn Cracks Top Eight for Florida-Based 2027 Safety
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
The Auburn Tigers have been working hard to bolster their 2027 recruiting class, resulting in the pickup of six top commits, including the latest: three-star quarterback Gary Chatman Jr. Now, the Tigers have a chance to land a recruit on the other side of the ball in Loia Valade.
Valade is a three-star safety prospect who hails from West Boca Raton, Florida. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound prospect is currently rated as the 48th-best safety in the 2027 class as well as the 44th-best in-class player from the state of Florida.
Valade earned an offer from the Tigers on Thursday, and Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with him after to talk all things Auburn, including his interest in the Tigers.
“It was a great feeling when coach Banks offered me, to be honest,” he said. “This is one of the schools I was hoping to get… I’d say Auburn is definitely in my top eight right now.”
https://twitter.com/loia_valade/status/2052545948086161679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2052545948086161679%7Ctwgr%5Ed29a6500e7b672a8d7630ea332cfd0881d28b492%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-cracks-top-eight-for-florida-based-2027-safety-01krh7wpajsp
Valade holds offers from a litany of top programs, so landing in the top eight is certainly a great vote of confidence for the Tigers. Valade’s leading offer, as it stands, is Florida, which holds a very high chance, though he also holds offers from schools like Kentucky, Miami and Arkansas.
“I compete, and I refuse to lose,” he said. “I just have to stay down and keep working and remember how I got there.”
Though Valade still has another full season before it will become crucial to announce a commitment, he already has an idea of what an ideal program looks like for him.
“[I want to] go somewhere where I can be moved around and be an athlete on defense,” he said. “[I’m] looking for a great connection with the staff, and somewhere that’s gonna get me developed.”
As it stands, the Tigers currently have yet to land a safety in their 2027 class. In fact, the Tigers have just one defensive commit in the class: four-star defensive lineman Donivan Moore, who was the Tigers’ first 2027 commit under Alex Golesh.
If the Tigers can swing Valade away from in-state programs like Florida, they will find themselves with a top-level safety who could prove to bolster the future of the program. It may take a Herculean effort from Auburn’s staff, though, as the Gators are currently predicted with a 98.9% chance to land Valade.
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Auburn makes final cut for 2027 EDGE Jackson Vaughn
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
The Auburn Tigers have made the final cut for a top 15 EDGE from the 2027 recruiting cycle ahead of his scheduled commitment date.
Tom Loy of 247Sports reports that four-star EDGE Jackson Vaughn will announce his commitment on Tuesday, May 26, at 5:30 p.m. CT, and Auburn will be one of his choices. Alex Golesh and the Auburn Tigers will battle SEC rivals LSU and South Carolina, as well as Notre Dame and Miami, over the next two weeks.
Vaughn recently reclassified from the 2028 recruiting cycle and has quickly shot up the rankings. He is the nation's No. 15 EDGE rusher and the No. 4 overall player from New Jersey from the 2027 recruiting cycle, ahead of his commitment date, and has earned several notable offers from programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Colorado, Indiana, and Virginia Tech this calendar year.
Auburn football ranks No. 39 in the latest 2027 recruiting rankings from 247Sports with six commitments. Golesh and his staff have caught momentum over the last month by hauling in five commitments since April 18, headlined by four-star running back Myson Johnson-Cook.
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Auburn Enters Race for Prospect with Growing D1 Interest
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
Alex Golesh and the Auburn Tigers have been hard on the recruiting trail over the past few weeks, and last weekend, they seemed to focus quite heavily on the 2029 class. The Tigers have offered a few 2029 prospects, despite the fact that they just finished their freshman years of high school, in hopes of bolstering the recruiting future of the program.
One such prospect, DJ Butler, received an offer from Auburn last week, marking his 12th Division One offer of his young career. Butler is considered to be one of the best linebackers in the 2029 class, so the Tigers’ early entrance to the race for Butler may bode well for Auburn’s chances with the young prospect.
After he received his offer, Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with Butler to talk all things Auburn, including his interest in the Tigers.
“When I received my offer from Auburn, I was in the weight room lifting,” he said. “Coach Hoodie called me over to have a conversation with him, and we talked about Auburn… He said Coach Durkin liked how my film showed I was a leader on the defense just being a freshman, which was impressive. That’s when he extended the offer.”
https://twitter.com/DakotaButlerJr/status/2049607413863452807?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2049607413863452807%7Ctwgr%5E7cd68b4a1baabb19e582ad3a10b0ea1bea0eef62%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-enters-race-for-prospect-with-growing-d1-interest-01krh6n6998k
Butler was named an Under Armour 8th Grade All-American just over a year ago, and he and his production have not slowed down since. But, where do the Tigers stand on his list?
“Since it is so early in my recruitment, I don’t really have a top list yet,” he said. “I’m still getting to know all the schools, but Auburn is definitely one I’m interested in… I haven’t scheduled a day to visit as of yet, but I definitely plan to visit this year. A game day visit would be great to see the atmosphere in person!”
As mentioned before, Butler had the opportunity to chat with both Tyler Hudniak, the Tigers’ linebacker coach, and DJ Durkin, the Tigers’ current defensive coordinator, and Butler’s impression of the two went far beyond just what they said when they offered him.
“Coach Durkin stopped by to see me in person,” he said. “Coach Durkin is very interested in me, and he really liked my film. I noticed that they are very proactive in taking time to get to know what type of players they are recruiting.”
As for Butler himself, he believes that he has quite a bit to offer any program that is interested in him, which quite a few are. Butler currently holds offers from top programs like Virginia Tech, led by James Franklin, Penn State, South Carolina and Colorado, despite still having three full years of high school left.
“One thing about my game that most Coaches notice is that I’m a leader,” he said. “I’m also a very versatile linebacker. I can stop the run, and I'm good in pass coverage. A every down kind of linebacker… The next 3 years, I plan to be hungrier every day, always finding ways to improve my game. I don’t plan on getting comfortable. Each time I get an offer, I remind myself I have to work harder.”
For now, Butler will continue on the grind he has set before himself as he builds a recruitment that could be one of the nation’s leaders in just a few short years.
“I’m thankful for Auburn and every school that believes in me,” he said. “I’m just going to keep working, keep God first, and enjoy the process.”
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Three-star DL Kalib Spivey locks in 'dream' visit to Auburn
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
A local 2027 prospect has locked in a summer official visit with the Auburn Tigers.
Kalib Spivey, a three-star defensive lineman from Alexander City, Alabama, will take his official visit to Auburn during the weekend of June 26. It will be the last visit of his summer tour as he plans to check out Duke, Georgia Tech, and Clemson before making the short trip south on Highway 280 to the Plains.
Auburn, being Spivey's last stop, could bode well for Alex Golesh and the Auburn Tigers. In a recent interview with Larry Rudolph, Spivey says that playing for Auburn would be a "dream."
"Auburn is a dream school of mine growing up. My whole family loves Auburn," Spivey said of Auburn. "I have been building relationships there since I was a freshman. (Auburn) was my first offer."
Spivey began his high school career at Benjamin Russell High School, but spent time in Montgomery playing football for Carver High School before moving back to Benjamin Russell for his senior season in 2026. He enters the 2026 season as a three-star defensive lineman, ranking No. 66 nationally at his position, and No. 21 from the state of Alabama. He plans to announce his commitment in early July.
Auburn football ranks No. 39 in the latest 2027 recruiting rankings from 247Sports. Four-star running back Myson Johnson-Cook is at the top of Auburn's six-man class.
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Auburn battling CFP contenders for four-star safety Davion Jones
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
The Auburn Tigers are in a battle with a pair of College Football Playoff contenders for a four-star safety from North Carolina.
According to a report by Chad Simmons of Rivals, Auburn football has made the top five for four-star safety Davion Jones. The Tigers are now in a battle with CFP contenders Georgia and Indiana, as well as SEC rivals South Carolina and LSU, for the signature of the Cornelius, North Carolina native.
According to Rivals' Recruiting Prediction Machine, Auburn is in a tight race with South Carolina as Jones' recruitment heats up. The Gamecocks hold a slight lead with a 36.4% chance to land Jones; Auburn is next in line at 18.5%. Clemson is between the Gamecocks and Tigers with a 21% forecast; however, Dabo Swinney's Tigers failed to make the cut in Jones' top five. Jones tells Simmons that Auburn is high on the list thanks to his relationship with co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Tim Banks, which started during Banks' days with the Tennessee Volunteers in the same role.
Jones is the No. 11 safety from the 2027 recruiting cycle according to Rivals' Industry Ranking, and the No. 7 overall player from South Carolina. He kicks off his official visit tour this weekend with Indiana, and will visit Clemson and Georgia before taking a trip to the Plains on June 5.
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It's never been more clear that Auburn dodged a major Lane Kiffin bullet
By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
Lane Kiffin would have probably won at Auburn. Auburn dodged a bullet by not hiring him.
Even as I typed the first sentence of this column, I can already hear Auburn fans complaining.
“You are just defending your boy!”
“Why don’t you and Hugh go play another round of golf!”
“Your boy is a loser.”
That last one was the popular one for people to send me via text or tell me in person while Hugh Freeze, who I have been friends with for almost a decade, struggled to get Auburn back to its winning ways, ultimately getting fired this past November after too many losses and not enough answers.
I understand. I get it. His record on the Plains speaks for itself. As an Auburn alum and fan, I wasn’t quite happy with how the Tigers were performing on the field either. If I didn’t have a personal friendship with Freeze, I probably would have been yelling the same things. I might have said some in my mind during those three seasons.
Lane Kiffin would have burnt his bridges to Auburn just as quickly
But I do have to say this. No matter how many wins he brought and no matter how many rivalry games he won, I’m happy that Auburn didn’t hire Lane Kiffin. Would the Tigers’ program have been in better shape right now? Almost without a doubt.
But Auburn would be sitting in the same situation that Ole Miss is right now: with a hypocritical former head coach taking unwarranted shots at everything the university stands for.
You think you dislike Kiffin now? There’s no way you wouldn’t have disliked him even more had he pulled what he did to the Rebels with his selfish move to take on a new job at a rival school at Auburn. He’s a punk, someone who has never grown up, and someone who thinks burning bridges is the right way to leave a job.
Surely he wouldn’t have gone after Alabama’s racist past like he did Mississippi’s, right? Of course, he would. Certainly, he wouldn’t take every chance to go out of his way to make every snide comment about the Plains, the city of Auburn and everything else that Auburn fans hold dear, right? Please.
Kiffin might have won had he been hired to follow Bryan Harsin. In fact, he might have won big with the Tigers. There’s no doubting his coaching ability. It would have been nice for Auburn to rise up in the polls, make the College Football Playoff and see a resurgence in the program. Everyone is cheering for that. But with a weasel like Kiffin, it comes at a cost, and Ole Miss is finding that out in the worst way possible.
I'm just happy it isn't Auburn.
Kickoff time for Baylor matchup proves once again Auburn screwed up by moving game:
https://flywareagle.com/kickoff-time-for-baylor-matchup-proves-once-again-auburn-screwed-up-by-moving-game-01krf4qj3j4y
Alex Golesh expects home atmosphere when Auburn faces Baylor in Atlanta:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/05/alex-golesh-expects-home-atmosphere-when-auburn-faces-baylor-in-atlanta.html
Golesh confident Atlanta will feel like home for Auburn's opener vs. Baylor:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-tigers-football-baylor-game-atlanta-tigers-2026-kickoff-285161803/
Auburn fans can already circle the hardest game on the 2026 football schedule:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-fans-can-already-circle-the-hardest-game-on-the-2026-football-schedule-01krh40kdrfk
5 Auburn defensive players not named Xavier Atkins who need to step up in 2026:
https://flywareagle.com/5-auburn-defensive-players-not-named-xavier-atkins-who-need-to-step-up-in-2026-01krheef6cgf
What does Alex Golesh want Auburn football’s identity to be?:
https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2026/05/what-does-alex-golesh-want-auburn-footballs-identity-to-be.html
CBS Sports Details Auburn’s ‘Patience Meter’ Towards Alex Golesh:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/cbs-sports-auburn-patience-meter-alex-golesh-01krh77vv5sw
Auburn Cracks Top Eight for Florida-Based 2027 Safety:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/auburn-cracks-top-eight-for-florida-based-2027-safety-01krh7wpajsp
Auburn makes final cut for 2027 EDGE Jackson Vaughn:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/recruiting/2026/05/13/auburn-football-recruiting-jackson-vaughn-final-schools-commitment/90059261007/
Auburn Enters Race for Prospect with Growing D1 Interest:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/auburn-enters-race-for-prospect-with-growing-d1-interest-01krh6n6998k
Three-star DL Kalib Spivey locks in 'dream' visit to Auburn:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/recruiting/2026/05/13/auburn-football-recruiting-kalib-spivey-official-visit/90032916007/
Auburn battling CFP contenders for four-star safety Davion Jones:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/recruiting/2026/05/13/auburn-football-recruiting-davion-jones-top-five/90060377007/
It's never been more clear that Auburn dodged a major Lane Kiffin bullet:
https://flywareagle.com/it-s-never-been-more-clear-that-auburn-dodged-a-major-lane-kiffin-bullet-01krf92te1yt
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By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
When it was announced that Auburn was moving its season-opening game from Jordan-Hare Stadium to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, I was openly skeptical. In my opinion, the fewer neutral-site games, the better, as this situation has cost the city of Auburn and local businesses millions of dollars.
And while Auburn athletic director John Cohen explained his reasoning for moving the game, including $5 million in NIL and national television, taking it off campus after fans have filled Jordan-Hare during the bleakest of times, especially during a long holiday weekend, just doesn’t add up.
Now that the kickoff time of 2:30 p.m. CT (3:30 p.m. in Atlanta) has been announced, the move befuddles me even more. If the move was to get more eyeballs, that might have just fallen by the wayside as the Tigers and Bears play in the middle of the opening Saturday, when, respectfully, there will be much bigger games going on.
Will Auburn fans still show up for the game?
Last year, moving the game to Friday night and having it be the only primetime matchup on a national network made every bit of sense. This just seems like an unwise decision by everyone involved, including those who decide when a game should be played.
If the city of Atlanta was looking forward to a full day of tailgating by a mob of Auburn fans for what many thought would be a night game, that just fell apart. And for the hotels in Atlanta, many reservations might have just been canceled, as a majority of the crowd (read: Auburn fans) likely live close enough to travel to the city and back on the same day.
But what if Auburn fans now decide not to go? It's Labor Day Weekend, and there are plenty of things to do besides traveling to Atlanta for a game. If Auburn doesn't fill the stadium, you know Baylor won't. I'm confident that those with game-day condos and houses in Auburn would loved to spend the weekend on the Plains.
If the organizers of the Alfac Kickoff Game wanted more hype, the game would have kicked off at 6 p.m. ET at the earliest. Even though there isn’t much tailgating room around the downtown stadium, give the fans what they want: a day of drinking followed by a game featuring two teams who enter the season with something to prove.
But all of this could have been avoided had Auburn not sold out for the price that comes with a neutral-site game. I’m confident that more Baylor fans would have come to the Plains to witness a game in Jordan-Hare and feel the SEC campus atmosphere than would have flown to Atlanta, which is a great city, to attend a matchup in a pro stadium with very little atmosphere.
All the improvements that Auburn’s athletic department has made and plans to make to Jordan-Hare won’t matter if they continue to play these neutral-site games instead of at one of the cathedrals of college football.
I’m sure Auburn and Baylor fans will have a good weekend, and hopefully the game is a good one, but with the timing of the kickoff and all of the other factors going into the rematch of last year’s game in Waco, things could have been significantly better.
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Alex Golesh expects home atmosphere when Auburn faces Baylor in Atlanta
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Alex Golesh was still at South Florida when Auburn made the decision to move its 2026 season opener to Atlanta, but the Tigers’ new head coach is excited to begin his Auburn tenure at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The matchup with Baylor, which was originally set to take place at Jordan-Hare Stadium, was moved to Atlanta last fall. It will now be the 2026 Aflac Kickoff Game, which will offer Auburn additional third-party NIL opportunities. However, it also means Auburn will only play six home games this season.
“The people here in Auburn maybe aren’t as fired up in the sense that that home game got moved to Atlanta, but there’s a lot of advantages for us,” Golesh said during an interview with 680 The Fan in Atlanta. “We’ve got such a huge alumni base there, really just the entire state of Georgia, that place will be rocking with blue and orange.”
Golesh also described it as a recruiting advantage for Auburn, who often recruits heavily out of Atlanta. More than anything else, though, moving the game to Atlanta will boost Auburn’s NIL efforts.
In an interview with AL.com after the move was announced, Auburn athletic director John Cohen said it could be considered “irresponsible” not to move the game, given the third-party NIL opportunities it will provide.
“Let’s face it, name, image and likeness is now a primary focus for student athletes making decisions,” Cohen said in October. “I’m not saying that’s bad. I’m not saying it’s good. I’m saying it’s 2025 and that’s the lens we have to look through.”
AL.com reported in December that Auburn is set to make $4 million in its base deal with Aflac for the game and can still make another $4 million if it sells out its ticket allotment for the game.
“I never thought we would get to the level of this game actually moving,” Cohen said, “because I never thought the type of NIL opportunities could possibly get to the level that they got to.”
This year’s season opener against Baylor will be a rematch of the 2025 Week 1 matchup. Auburn won that game 38-24 in Waco. The 2026 edition in Atlanta is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT on Sept. 5 and will be televised on ABC.
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Golesh confident Atlanta will feel like home for Auburn's opener vs. Baylor
By Nathan King
The first football game of the Alex Golesh era at Auburn won't be played in Jordan-Hare Stadium, but the Tigers' new head coach is confident Atlanta will feel like home.
The Tigers are playing Baylor in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 1 instead of back home on campus — announced this week as a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff on ABC. Though Golesh wasn't around for that decision by Auburn and its administration, he understands why part of his new fanbase was and is irked by it.
"The people here in Auburn aren't as fired up with that home game being moved to Atlanta, but there are a lot of advantages for us," Golesh said Wednesday on 680 The Fan in Atlanta.
Last October, Auburn announced its return game of the home-and-home series with Baylor would no longer be played at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2026. Instead, the Tigers entered into an agreement with the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta to move the season opener a couple hours away, with NIL money serving as the driving factor.
In a first for college football, Aflac will provide opportunities for Auburn players to promote the game and earn money through NIL channels. In short, Auburn is trading the revenue of a home Saturday on the Plains — which now helps pay players, too, with revenue sharing — for more direct funding to its roster. Aflac will provide $4 million upfront, and another $4 million if Auburn sells out its ticket allotment. That money can go directly to the Tigers' roster through NIL and help to offset a revenue-sharing "cap."
There was plenty of backlash from Auburn fans, though, about losing a home game — especially in a season where the Tigers only had seven of them, and now just six. Then-head coach Hugh Freeze said the decision would help Auburn "long term," though, and add to the program's "coffer" to build a roster.
Golesh now inherits that program. Both Auburn and Baylor went 5-7 last season. Freeze was fired, and Dave Aranda sits squarely on the hot seat entering 2026. The Bears were No. 122 nationally in scoring defense and return only one starter on offense.
"It's a good opponent in Baylor," Golesh said. "They've got a lot of new and a lot of change there, as well. It'll certainly be great for us from a recruiting standpoint to be playing in Atlanta."
Auburn is playing in Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the first time since beating Washington to open the 2018 season. The Tigers played the first college football game after the venue was opened, losing to Georgia in the 2017 SEC title game, and also lost to UCF that season in the Peach Bowl.
"We've got such a huge alumni base there," Golesh said. "That place will be rocking with blue and orange. And then it's a national stage, on ABC, right in the middle of the day on the opening weekend. I think it will be huge for us."
Baylor is the first of three Power Four matchups for Auburn in the first month of the season, all of which will be at least home-field-adjacent. After playing Southern Miss in Week 2, Auburn will have back-to-back SEC home games against Florida and Vanderbilt.
On Friday night to open last season, Auburn defeated Baylor 38-24 in Waco. The Tigers racked up 309 rushing yards, and Rayshawn Pleasant's 98-yard kickoff return touchdown late in the third quarter helped Auburn keep the Bears at arm's length, after Baylor regained some life with a touchdown to make it 24-17.
It will also be the first time Auburn has opened up a season at a "neutral site" since Bo Nix's last-minute touchdown to Seth Williams lifted the Tigers over Oregon at Cowboys Stadium in 2019.
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Auburn fans can already circle the hardest game on the 2026 football schedule
By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
Greetings, Alex Golesh. Welcome to the gauntlet that is an SEC football schedule.
The first-year Auburn head coach has a massive challenge in front of him as he tries to build the Tigers into a winning program again. No longer are the likes of Rice and UAB on Golesh’s schedule, but full of challenges at some of the toughest environments in college football.
But where may Golesh and his team get somewhat of a break, and where might they have to dig deep into their will with a brutal stretch? For the latter, just look at the three-game stretch from October 17-31.
Let’s rank Auburn football’s 2026 opponents from easiest to most difficult.
12. Samford (Nov. 21)
The classic non-conference game a week before the Iron Bowl, Golesh should be able to give his regulars some rest in the second half against the Bulldogs and start preparing for his first-ever Iron Bowl.
11. Southern Miss (Sep. 12)
Charles Huff led the Golden Eagles to a 7-6 record last season, but departed for Memphis after only one season in Hattiesburg. Blake Anderson is now in charge, and while Southern Miss can be dangerous, the rest of the teams on Auburn’s schedule are much more talented.
10. at Mississippi State (Nov. 14)
It’s never simple going to Starkville and battling the cow bells, but the Bulldogs are still trying to find their way under Jeff Lebby as he enters his third season as head coach. It could also be his last, as his record stands at 7-18.
9. Arkansas (Nov. 7)
A brand-new coaching staff, led by Ryan Silverfield, hopes to make the Razorbacks relevant again. That won’t happen this year.
8. Vanderbilt (Sep. 26)
Gone are Auburn-killer Diego Pavia and tight end Eli Stowers, but Clark Lea will still have a solid defense. Still, some of the frustration from the past two years should be taken out on the Commodores in Jordan-Hare.
7. Baylor (Sep. 5)
The season opener that should have been in Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Bears have a talented quarterback in former Florida starter DJ Lagway. It will still be a pro-Auburn crowd in Atlanta.
6. Florida (Sep. 19)
In a battle of coaches Auburn pursued this offseason, Jon Sumrall brings his Gators to the Plains in his first season in charge in Gainesville. The Gators should definitely improve over last season, but so should Auburn. It’s a matchup of what used to be a great annual rivalry game.
5. at Tennessee (Oct. 3)
The Vols will have a new quarterback and go-to receiver, but running back DeSean Bishop returns after putting up 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. Josh Heupel has another team that hopes to take a huge step toward the playoffs.
4. at Alabama (Nov. 28)
Can Golesh do what no Auburn coach since Gene Chizik has done and get a win in Tuscaloosa? It’s not as if the Crimson Tide are world-beaters going into the season. A win in Bryant-Denny would go a long way in getting the rivalry back to even.
3. LSU (Oct. 24)
The middle game of what is a brutal stretch for the Tigers, Lane Kiffin brings in his team (and circus) to Jordan-Hare in his first year in charge of the Bayou Bengals. LSU has playoff aspirations, and a win here would be sweet for Golesh.
2. at Ole Miss (Oct. 31)
Pete Golding did an incredible job leading the Rebels to the cusp of the national title game last season after Kiffin’s departure. Now, he has expectations in Oxford as high as possible with the return of quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. CBS Sports has already predicted this game to be a trap for Ole Miss.
1. at Georgia (Oct. 17)
If Golesh has put massive focus on the Iron Bowl, he might want to concentrate on The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry as well, as the Bulldogs have dominated Auburn in the last 20 years.
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5 Auburn defensive players not named Xavier Atkins who need to step up in 2026
By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
Perhaps the biggest signing Alex Golesh did when he took the Auburn head coaching job was not in the transfer portal or in recruiting, but keeping D.J. Durkin on as the Tigers’ defensive coordinator.
While Auburn’s offense continued to struggle last season, Durkin’s defense kept the Tigers in many games and gave them a chance to win. Now, with hopefully an improved and explosive offense led by quarterback Byrum Brown, the defense will make an even bigger impact as Auburn tries to turn the tables.
We all know what Xavier Atkins is capable of, but who are the other players on Auburn’s defense that are critical in making Durkin’s unit just as fearsome this season? Here are my five.
Elijah Melendez
Melendez showed flashes of his talent as a freshman, picking off two passes while racking up three tackles for a loss and a sack. Now, opposite Atkins, he will have to be consistent, and someone Durkin can count on at the second level of the defense. Melendez absolutely loves to hit people, making him the prototypical college linebacker.
Cody Sigler
The Arkansas State transfer earned rave reviews from almost everyone during spring practice, especially defensive line coach Vontrell King-Williams.
"He's a dog, man," the coach said. "The competition stuff, there's no excuse. He's taking double reps, taking someone else's reps, not making any excuses about it, and still winning. He's a dog. He's going to bring a competitiveness to our room that I think is going to be big and what's needed. Cody is going to be a big part of what we accomplish this year."
The veteran recorded seven tackles for a loss and five sacks with six quarterback hurries last year. He will be critical to Auburn’s pass rush.
Rayshawn Pleasant
With Kayin Lee leaving this offseason for Tennessee, Pleasant steps right into the cornerback role opposite Andre Jordan Jr., who transferred in from UCLA. While he played a bit of corner last season, he will have to step up in a massive way while also handling his duties on special teams. He can be a dangerous defender, and if he picks off a ball and has an open field in front of him, no one is going to catch him.
Eric Winters
The Enterprise, Ala., native got thrown into the fire as a freshman last season and should be even better after tallying 33 total tackles, two tackles for a loss, a sack and a pass broken up. His offseason in the gym put some weight on his 6-foot-2 frame, and he will be ready to be one of the most feared safeties in the SEC.
Da’Shawn Womack
Chances are, Womack won’t have the same impact that Keldric Faulk had in his three years on the Plains, but someone has to step into the shoes of the first-round draft pick. While he has been in college already for three seasons and has appeared in 35 games, none have come as a starter. For Auburn to pressure the quarterback, he has to raise his game.
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What does Alex Golesh want Auburn football’s identity to be?
By Peter Rauterkus
al.com
Alex Golesh is taking over an Auburn football program that failed under each of its last two head coaches.
The Tigers haven’t posted a winning season since 2020, and neither Bryan Harsin nor Hugh Freeze could turn things around. In Freeze’s case, it wasn’t necessarily a talent issue, meaning the task for Golesh is bigger than just signing the best players.
Golesh seems to realize that. Bringing in players to build a culture around was a major factor during the transfer portal window, which was one reason why 13 players followed Golesh from South Florida.
“I think identity is truly what people can see. And we spent a lot of time talking through it, identifying it, teaching it, showing it,” Golesh said during an interview with 680 The Fan in Atlanta. “It’s maybe hard to quantify sometimes, but they’re this. More than anything else, that’s why I think when you take a job, it’s important that it fits you, it’s got to match who you are. And I can tell you, six months in, this Auburn job fits me.”
Golesh was asked what he wants fans to immediately notice when they watch his team this fall. Within his answer, Golesh talked about physical and mental toughness and a blue-collar approach to what he says Auburn football was built on.
“You’re not affected by the result of a play, you’re affected by the energy your teammates bring,” Golesh said. “And so, this physically and mentally tough piece is huge. The ability to lead, the ability to follow, I think, is absolutely huge.”
Being connected as a team is another big point of emphasis for Golesh. That’s something he highlighted as a concern leaving spring practice, as his team with over 60 new players is still getting to know each other.
“You can scan a bench, and you could scan the sideline on TV and say, ‘Man, like that group is connected,” Golesh said. “These dudes are in it for each other, and that group that’s process driven, you maybe don’t truly see, but you can see when guys play, are they organized? Are they thorough? Are they detailed? That’s the coaches too. That’s not just the kids, and that’s that is what I want our identity to be.”
Auburn is close to two and a half months away from the first preseason camp under Golesh, where preparations for the 2026 season will officially begin. The Tigers will play the first game of the Golesh era on Sept. 5 when they face Baylor in Atlanta.
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CBS Sports Details Auburn’s ‘Patience Meter’ Towards Alex Golesh
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
As Alex Golesh’s first season as the head coach of the Auburn Tigers looms ever closer, Auburn fans are still working to figure out exactly what defines ‘success’ under Golesh. Like many new coaches, Golesh has expectations to work with on the Plains, but CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford believes there may even be a little less patience for Golesh than many believe.
In an article ranking every new head coach’s ‘patience meter,’ or more simply, what each coach’s program needs to look like in 2026, Golesh was given a three out of five, meaning that though expectations are not as high as those of Lane Kiffin at LSU, Golesh still has quite a few standards to meet if he wants to earn the long-term support of the Auburn faithful.
“Auburn didn't make this hire for a slow, methodical rebuild,” Crawford wrote. “The Tigers want immediate traction in the SEC arms race. Golesh's offensive track record creates intrigue, especially with tempo and quarterback development… early competitiveness against Georgia and Alabama will define whether belief in the new era takes hold quickly, especially once this roster is flushed of former South Florida players after this season.”
Crawford certainly has a point: Auburn fans are tired of the same lackluster seasons year after year. After all, the Tigers have yet to string together a winning season since 2020, the year Gus Malzahn was fired. Unlike many new head coaches stepping into SEC roles, Golesh faces the expectation of early success, and he will need to find some crucial wins if he wants to keep the support of the Auburn faithful.
Golesh certainly has the pieces to put together this kind of season, though, as his backfield is statistically one of the best in the country, but they will still need to continue that level of production if the Tigers are to compete in big-time matchups.
Additionally, expectations are sky-high for Byrum Brown, with whom much of the opinion of Golesh will likely be tied in year one. Brown was one of the best quarterbacks in football last year at USF, but many are concerned that his level of play will not translate to a grueling SEC schedule. Golesh has maintained that Brown is ready and able, so Auburn fans will just have to see what happens come SEC play.
Keeping expectations in check: The Tigers will likely not be a Playoff team this year, as there are simply too many moving parts that have yet to, and likely will not, settle over the next season as Golesh finds his footing for the first time as a head coach in the SEC. However, a push to prove that the Tigers could be a playoff team with the right development could be instrumental to Golesh’s long-term future.
So, though the expectation is not for Golesh to immediately win a championship, the Tigers and their fans still have high expectations for him that he will need to deliver on if he is looking to stay on the Plains long-term.
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Auburn Cracks Top Eight for Florida-Based 2027 Safety
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
The Auburn Tigers have been working hard to bolster their 2027 recruiting class, resulting in the pickup of six top commits, including the latest: three-star quarterback Gary Chatman Jr. Now, the Tigers have a chance to land a recruit on the other side of the ball in Loia Valade.
Valade is a three-star safety prospect who hails from West Boca Raton, Florida. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound prospect is currently rated as the 48th-best safety in the 2027 class as well as the 44th-best in-class player from the state of Florida.
Valade earned an offer from the Tigers on Thursday, and Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with him after to talk all things Auburn, including his interest in the Tigers.
“It was a great feeling when coach Banks offered me, to be honest,” he said. “This is one of the schools I was hoping to get… I’d say Auburn is definitely in my top eight right now.”
https://twitter.com/loia_valade/status/2052545948086161679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2052545948086161679%7Ctwgr%5Ed29a6500e7b672a8d7630ea332cfd0881d28b492%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-cracks-top-eight-for-florida-based-2027-safety-01krh7wpajsp
Valade holds offers from a litany of top programs, so landing in the top eight is certainly a great vote of confidence for the Tigers. Valade’s leading offer, as it stands, is Florida, which holds a very high chance, though he also holds offers from schools like Kentucky, Miami and Arkansas.
“I compete, and I refuse to lose,” he said. “I just have to stay down and keep working and remember how I got there.”
Though Valade still has another full season before it will become crucial to announce a commitment, he already has an idea of what an ideal program looks like for him.
“[I want to] go somewhere where I can be moved around and be an athlete on defense,” he said. “[I’m] looking for a great connection with the staff, and somewhere that’s gonna get me developed.”
As it stands, the Tigers currently have yet to land a safety in their 2027 class. In fact, the Tigers have just one defensive commit in the class: four-star defensive lineman Donivan Moore, who was the Tigers’ first 2027 commit under Alex Golesh.
If the Tigers can swing Valade away from in-state programs like Florida, they will find themselves with a top-level safety who could prove to bolster the future of the program. It may take a Herculean effort from Auburn’s staff, though, as the Gators are currently predicted with a 98.9% chance to land Valade.
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Auburn makes final cut for 2027 EDGE Jackson Vaughn
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
The Auburn Tigers have made the final cut for a top 15 EDGE from the 2027 recruiting cycle ahead of his scheduled commitment date.
Tom Loy of 247Sports reports that four-star EDGE Jackson Vaughn will announce his commitment on Tuesday, May 26, at 5:30 p.m. CT, and Auburn will be one of his choices. Alex Golesh and the Auburn Tigers will battle SEC rivals LSU and South Carolina, as well as Notre Dame and Miami, over the next two weeks.
Vaughn recently reclassified from the 2028 recruiting cycle and has quickly shot up the rankings. He is the nation's No. 15 EDGE rusher and the No. 4 overall player from New Jersey from the 2027 recruiting cycle, ahead of his commitment date, and has earned several notable offers from programs such as Alabama, Georgia, Colorado, Indiana, and Virginia Tech this calendar year.
Auburn football ranks No. 39 in the latest 2027 recruiting rankings from 247Sports with six commitments. Golesh and his staff have caught momentum over the last month by hauling in five commitments since April 18, headlined by four-star running back Myson Johnson-Cook.
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Auburn Enters Race for Prospect with Growing D1 Interest
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Daily
Alex Golesh and the Auburn Tigers have been hard on the recruiting trail over the past few weeks, and last weekend, they seemed to focus quite heavily on the 2029 class. The Tigers have offered a few 2029 prospects, despite the fact that they just finished their freshman years of high school, in hopes of bolstering the recruiting future of the program.
One such prospect, DJ Butler, received an offer from Auburn last week, marking his 12th Division One offer of his young career. Butler is considered to be one of the best linebackers in the 2029 class, so the Tigers’ early entrance to the race for Butler may bode well for Auburn’s chances with the young prospect.
After he received his offer, Auburn Tigers on SI caught up with Butler to talk all things Auburn, including his interest in the Tigers.
“When I received my offer from Auburn, I was in the weight room lifting,” he said. “Coach Hoodie called me over to have a conversation with him, and we talked about Auburn… He said Coach Durkin liked how my film showed I was a leader on the defense just being a freshman, which was impressive. That’s when he extended the offer.”
https://twitter.com/DakotaButlerJr/status/2049607413863452807?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2049607413863452807%7Ctwgr%5E7cd68b4a1baabb19e582ad3a10b0ea1bea0eef62%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Fauburn-enters-race-for-prospect-with-growing-d1-interest-01krh6n6998k
Butler was named an Under Armour 8th Grade All-American just over a year ago, and he and his production have not slowed down since. But, where do the Tigers stand on his list?
“Since it is so early in my recruitment, I don’t really have a top list yet,” he said. “I’m still getting to know all the schools, but Auburn is definitely one I’m interested in… I haven’t scheduled a day to visit as of yet, but I definitely plan to visit this year. A game day visit would be great to see the atmosphere in person!”
As mentioned before, Butler had the opportunity to chat with both Tyler Hudniak, the Tigers’ linebacker coach, and DJ Durkin, the Tigers’ current defensive coordinator, and Butler’s impression of the two went far beyond just what they said when they offered him.
“Coach Durkin stopped by to see me in person,” he said. “Coach Durkin is very interested in me, and he really liked my film. I noticed that they are very proactive in taking time to get to know what type of players they are recruiting.”
As for Butler himself, he believes that he has quite a bit to offer any program that is interested in him, which quite a few are. Butler currently holds offers from top programs like Virginia Tech, led by James Franklin, Penn State, South Carolina and Colorado, despite still having three full years of high school left.
“One thing about my game that most Coaches notice is that I’m a leader,” he said. “I’m also a very versatile linebacker. I can stop the run, and I'm good in pass coverage. A every down kind of linebacker… The next 3 years, I plan to be hungrier every day, always finding ways to improve my game. I don’t plan on getting comfortable. Each time I get an offer, I remind myself I have to work harder.”
For now, Butler will continue on the grind he has set before himself as he builds a recruitment that could be one of the nation’s leaders in just a few short years.
“I’m thankful for Auburn and every school that believes in me,” he said. “I’m just going to keep working, keep God first, and enjoy the process.”
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Three-star DL Kalib Spivey locks in 'dream' visit to Auburn
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
A local 2027 prospect has locked in a summer official visit with the Auburn Tigers.
Kalib Spivey, a three-star defensive lineman from Alexander City, Alabama, will take his official visit to Auburn during the weekend of June 26. It will be the last visit of his summer tour as he plans to check out Duke, Georgia Tech, and Clemson before making the short trip south on Highway 280 to the Plains.
Auburn, being Spivey's last stop, could bode well for Alex Golesh and the Auburn Tigers. In a recent interview with Larry Rudolph, Spivey says that playing for Auburn would be a "dream."
"Auburn is a dream school of mine growing up. My whole family loves Auburn," Spivey said of Auburn. "I have been building relationships there since I was a freshman. (Auburn) was my first offer."
Spivey began his high school career at Benjamin Russell High School, but spent time in Montgomery playing football for Carver High School before moving back to Benjamin Russell for his senior season in 2026. He enters the 2026 season as a three-star defensive lineman, ranking No. 66 nationally at his position, and No. 21 from the state of Alabama. He plans to announce his commitment in early July.
Auburn football ranks No. 39 in the latest 2027 recruiting rankings from 247Sports. Four-star running back Myson Johnson-Cook is at the top of Auburn's six-man class.
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Auburn battling CFP contenders for four-star safety Davion Jones
By Taylor Jones
Auburn Wire
The Auburn Tigers are in a battle with a pair of College Football Playoff contenders for a four-star safety from North Carolina.
According to a report by Chad Simmons of Rivals, Auburn football has made the top five for four-star safety Davion Jones. The Tigers are now in a battle with CFP contenders Georgia and Indiana, as well as SEC rivals South Carolina and LSU, for the signature of the Cornelius, North Carolina native.
According to Rivals' Recruiting Prediction Machine, Auburn is in a tight race with South Carolina as Jones' recruitment heats up. The Gamecocks hold a slight lead with a 36.4% chance to land Jones; Auburn is next in line at 18.5%. Clemson is between the Gamecocks and Tigers with a 21% forecast; however, Dabo Swinney's Tigers failed to make the cut in Jones' top five. Jones tells Simmons that Auburn is high on the list thanks to his relationship with co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Tim Banks, which started during Banks' days with the Tennessee Volunteers in the same role.
Jones is the No. 11 safety from the 2027 recruiting cycle according to Rivals' Industry Ranking, and the No. 7 overall player from South Carolina. He kicks off his official visit tour this weekend with Indiana, and will visit Clemson and Georgia before taking a trip to the Plains on June 5.
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It's never been more clear that Auburn dodged a major Lane Kiffin bullet
By Brian Stultz
Fly War Eagle
Lane Kiffin would have probably won at Auburn. Auburn dodged a bullet by not hiring him.
Even as I typed the first sentence of this column, I can already hear Auburn fans complaining.
“You are just defending your boy!”
“Why don’t you and Hugh go play another round of golf!”
“Your boy is a loser.”
That last one was the popular one for people to send me via text or tell me in person while Hugh Freeze, who I have been friends with for almost a decade, struggled to get Auburn back to its winning ways, ultimately getting fired this past November after too many losses and not enough answers.
I understand. I get it. His record on the Plains speaks for itself. As an Auburn alum and fan, I wasn’t quite happy with how the Tigers were performing on the field either. If I didn’t have a personal friendship with Freeze, I probably would have been yelling the same things. I might have said some in my mind during those three seasons.
Lane Kiffin would have burnt his bridges to Auburn just as quickly
But I do have to say this. No matter how many wins he brought and no matter how many rivalry games he won, I’m happy that Auburn didn’t hire Lane Kiffin. Would the Tigers’ program have been in better shape right now? Almost without a doubt.
But Auburn would be sitting in the same situation that Ole Miss is right now: with a hypocritical former head coach taking unwarranted shots at everything the university stands for.
You think you dislike Kiffin now? There’s no way you wouldn’t have disliked him even more had he pulled what he did to the Rebels with his selfish move to take on a new job at a rival school at Auburn. He’s a punk, someone who has never grown up, and someone who thinks burning bridges is the right way to leave a job.
Surely he wouldn’t have gone after Alabama’s racist past like he did Mississippi’s, right? Of course, he would. Certainly, he wouldn’t take every chance to go out of his way to make every snide comment about the Plains, the city of Auburn and everything else that Auburn fans hold dear, right? Please.
Kiffin might have won had he been hired to follow Bryan Harsin. In fact, he might have won big with the Tigers. There’s no doubting his coaching ability. It would have been nice for Auburn to rise up in the polls, make the College Football Playoff and see a resurgence in the program. Everyone is cheering for that. But with a weasel like Kiffin, it comes at a cost, and Ole Miss is finding that out in the worst way possible.
I'm just happy it isn't Auburn.
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