Football News: 6-29-2026
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Dudley Dent
Jun 29, 2026, 7:59:43 AM (21 hours ago) Jun 29
to Tiger Tracks
Auburn Football News: 6-29-2026
Most Valuable Tigers: No. 20:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-tigers-football-roster-offensive-line-deryc-plazz-depth-chart-288016045/
Most Valuable Tigers: No. 19:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-tigers-fooball-roster-dallas-walker-defensive-line-288039985/
Path to the Plains: Offensive lineman Cole Best:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/path-to-the-plains-offensive-lineman-cole-best/
On SI Previews Auburn’s Matchup With Ole Miss: Could Auburn Be a ‘Scary Team to Face’?:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/on-si-previews-auburn-ole-miss-halloween
Key Auburn Tiger Named ‘Heisman Dark Horse’ By National Media:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/byrum-brown-heisman-dark-horse
National Media Predicts Auburn to Have First Winning Season Since 2020:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/national-media-predicts-auburn-to-have-first-winning-season-since-2020
Auburn's offensive line just got the scariest appraisal:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-offensive-line-scariest-appraisal
Auburn’s Alex Golesh Receives Favorable Roster Grade Ahead of 2026 Season:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-s-alex-golesh-receives-favorable-roster-grade-ahead-of-2026-season
Auburn insider projects 1 offseason addition shining vs. the Vols:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-insider-projects-1-offseason-addition-shining-vs-vols
UGA fans are accusing the SEC of an Auburn conspiracy and proving Alex Golesh has the Dawgs shook:
https://flywareagle.com/uga-fans-accusing-sec-auburn-conspiracy-proving-alex-golesh-dawgs-shook
Alex Golesh Teases New Auburn Tigers Commit:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/alex-golesh-teases-new-auburn-tigers-commit-marquis-evans
Auburn football's player ratings released for EA's College Football 27:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/06/27/auburn-football-ratings-released-college-football-27-ea-sports/90714013007/
Most Valuable Tigers: No. 20
By Nathan King
We're still in the heart of the college football offseason: two months removed from spring practice, more than a month from media days, and inside 100 days until the 2026 season, Auburn's first under head coach Alex Golesh.
So what better time to crank up the rankings? As we do annually this time of year, Auburn Undercover is counting down the top 25 most valuable players for the Tigers' 2026 season.
A few notes to set the table: These rankings are based on a player's previous contributions in college, as well as his assumed impact in 2026 — how important he is expected to be to Auburn's success in both production and the win-loss column. It is not simply Auburn's best players in descending order.
Next up is No. 20: offensive guard Deryc Plazz, a Miami transfer who doesn't have much experience, but brings plenty of talent and upside, which became evident in him earning a starting job at left guard in spring practice.
AS A RECRUIT
Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.
Class: 2024
247Sports ranking: 3-star, No. 42 IOL
AS A PLAYER
Originally a Penn State commit, Plazz flipped to Miami and spent two seasons with the Hurricanes, including the 2025 campaign as the backup left tackle for a team that made the national championship. Plazz developed under Mario Cristobal, who obviously has a strong history of producing NFL offensive linemen, and the young Plazz was able to learn this past season behind two NFL draft picks.
In total, Plazz appeared in three games of mop-up duty as a redshirt freshman. Seeking a starting opportunity, he transferred from Miami and landed with the Tigers, where, despite having played tackle most of his career, he was viewed as an interior player by first-year position coach Tyler Hudanick.
Auburn was high on Plazz's potential at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, and he immediately made an impact in spring ball. Plazz rarely deviated from the first-team spot at left guard.
2026 OUTLOOK
Hudanick will continue to strain his group with competition in fall camp, especially with Michigan State transfer offensive tackle Stanton Ramil entering the mix after recovering from his injury. We'll see how that shakes out the starting group, but for now, there's no reason to believe Plazz can't continue to hold down his spot at left guard.
A change at tackle, if Ramil causes one, could move someone like Tai Buster inside to a guard spot, and that could introduce competition for Plazz. But even when Buster kicked inside in the spring, it was usually to replace Cole Skinner at right guard. Plazz was considered one of Auburn's most consistent players along the offensive line in spring practice.
Plazz is a bit of a wild card, considering his lack of experience, but his status as a starter already has him above someone like Ramil in our rankings. If has the capabilities Auburn thinks he does, the left side of the Tigers' offensive line could be quite solid, with him and Jo Simmons.
WHAT THEY SAID
"My experience at my last school was a lot of sitting and watching behind a great offensive line. Just being able to get to the national championship, you've got to take advantage of that opportunity and make the most of it. Now I'm here, I can take things from those older guys and apply it to our o-line room as well as seeing those things from (Golesh) that are in place that I feel like are important for a successful team." — Plazz on transferring to Auburn
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Most Valuable Tigers: No. 19
By Nathan King
We're still in the heart of the college football offseason: two months removed from spring practice, more than a month from media days, and inside 100 days until the 2026 season, Auburn's first under head coach Alex Golesh.
So what better time to crank up the rankings? As we do annually this time of year, Auburn Undercover is counting down the top 25 most valuable players for the Tigers' 2026 season.
A few notes to set the table: These rankings are based on a player's previous contributions in college, as well as his assumed impact in 2026 — how important he is expected to be to Auburn's success in both production and the win-loss column. It is not simply Auburn's best players in descending order.
Next up is No. 19: defensive tackle Dallas Walker IV, an important offseason retention for Auburn after the seventh-year senior was granted an additional year of eligibility, giving the Tigers more experience in the middle of the defensive line of scrimmage.
AS A RECRUIT
Hometown: Smyrna, Tenn.
Class: 2020
247Sports ranking: 3-star, No. 66 DT
AS A PLAYER
The second-oldest player on Auburn's roster, only behind 25-year-old Hudson Kaak, Walker signed with Texas A&M six years ago. He came to Auburn from Western Kentucky, where he was a solid portal prospect, having amassed 49 tackles and four tackles for loss in 2024.
Walker was Auburn's second-most utilized nose tackle last season behind Bobby Jamison-Travis. Considering the turnover on Auburn's defensive line, the Tigers certainly wanted Walker back after he 13 tackles and a forced fumble as a backup, but whether he could play another season of college football was uncertain.
Walker began his career at Texas A&M in 2020, then redshirted the following season. So neither of those years affected his eligibility clock, considering the COVID year didn't count for anyone. Walker fully played the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Western Kentucky before transferring to Auburn.
The subject of Auburn's waiver application to the NCAA was 2022. Walker was still enrolled at Texas A&M but did not play football. There was no question that, heading into 2026, he had only played three non-redshirt seasons of college football, but it was unclear whether the NCAA would consider 2022 against his eligibility.
The ruling came back in Auburn's favor early in February, and Walker immediately assumed the starting nose-tackle job in spring practice.
2026 OUTLOOK
By virtue of his position, Walker obviously is not one of the flashier players on this team. But his role is vitally important for DJ Durkin's defense next season. Getting an additional year for Walker was the equivalent of landing a solid Power Four nose tackle in the transfer portal.
Walker will need to be a bit more impactful, of course, to help continue to open up lanes for linebackers like Xavier Atkins to wreak havoc in the middle. Walker has help, though, with sophomore Malik Autry and redshirt freshman Jourdin Crawford rotating in at nose. App State transfer Saint Farrior brings some experience to the depth chart, too.
Walker has said his goal has been to be a bit quicker this season, and he's down to 345 pounds after arriving at Auburn just shy of 370. Again, he does not need to be dominant up front, but with starters Malik Blocton (transfer) and Jamison-Travis (NFL Draft) gone from the defensive tackles room, Walker will have plenty of responsibility to be a solid presence for the Tigers' front seven this fall.
WHAT THEY SAID
"Yeah, I'm definitely comfortable with it. I just try to be a leader, but I also kind of try to fit in with my guys and make sure that they know that I'm still there with them and that they could feel free to critique me and tell me things that I might do better that they might see that someone else might not see." — Walker on Auburn's coaching staff encouraging him to be a leader
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Path to the Plains: Offensive lineman Cole Best
By Caleb Jones
Auburn’s roster will look almost brand new this fall.
It’s just how college football operates nowadays. The transfer portal makes it more rare than ever for fans to know the entire roster like they used to. And since there’s so much overturn on Auburn’s roster, there’s no better time than the summer to get to know the guys suiting up for the Tigers this fall.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll take a look at the projected two-deep and their journey to the Plains.
Up next in our series is projected starting center Cole Best.
FROM LIMITED OFFERS TO THE SEC
Best’s story begins in Winter Park, Fla., where he played high school football for Trinity Preparatory School. He earned a couple of offers as a three-star prospect, with Western Kentucky and South Florida the primary contenders in his high school recruitment.
South Florida won out, as the in-state program earned his commitment in August of 2020. Through his first two seasons, Best saw minimal action as the program won just three games. It led to the firing of head coach Jeff Scott in 2022, with Alex Golesh then taking over the reigns.
In year three with South Florida and year one under Golesh, Best finally started seeing the field more often. He saw action in 11 games in 2023 as a member of the two-deep before finally earning some starts in 2024.
Best started 10 games for South Florida in 2024. Three of those starts were at left guard, while seven were at center. When he made his first career start at center in mid-October that season, it began a 20-game starting streak that continues to this day.
He started all 13 games last season for South Florida, earning Third Team All-Conference honors in doing so. Following the year, Best decided to enter the transfer portal as a grad transfer for his final season of eligibility.
His destination came to no surprise — following his former head coach and quarterback for the last three seasons to Auburn.
Best will now give his best for Auburn, as he projects as the starting center for the program. It’s quite the journey — going from a 3-star prospect with limited offers to the starting under the lights in college football’s premier conference.
QUOTE OF NOTE
“I got a chip on my shoulder, 100 percent, you know?” Best said in March. “Felt like in the past, I kind of accomplished everything that I set out to do. So coming here in this conference and having the opportunity to just showcase my skills and what I’m made of, it means everything. I wake up every day with that chip on my shoulder and that on my mind, to show not only this, these guys, but the whole world, who I am and what I’m made of.”
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On SI Previews Auburn’s Matchup With Ole Miss: Could Auburn Be a ‘Scary Team to Face’?
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have a gauntlet of an SEC schedule this season, and one matchup just about everyone has circled on their calendar is October 31, in which the Tigers will travel to Oxford to take on the Ole Miss Rebels.
Led by Pete Golding and Trinidad Chambliss, the Rebels are expected to be a top-level team in 2026, though Rebels On SI writer Jimmy Petruzzi believes Alex Golesh’s program has one key strength and one key weakness that could make all the difference for the Tigers.
“Auburn might not be a name many think of when it comes to 2020s SEC football, but nevertheless, they are still a scary team to face, especially late in the season,” he wrote. “Once the offensive line gets the momentum going, Auburn will be able to dictate the pace of play and shorten the game.”
Petruzzi is referring to the Tigers’ rushing attack here, which is poised to be among the best in the nation if, to his point, the Tigers’ offensive line can get some momentum going. Led by Auburn returner Jeremiah Cobb, Baylor transfer Bryson Washington and dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown, the Tigers have a significant opportunity to break off big runs while controlling the pace of the game.
However, Petruzzi also believes there is one factor that could lose Auburn the game, and it is one that Tiger fans are all too familiar with: offensive inconsistency.
“Inconsistency on offense is one of the largest concerns of the Auburn football team,” he said. “Whether it's turnovers at the wrong times, third-down failures, or stalling in the red zone, Auburn's offensive performance hasn't been up to par when facing good teams this decade. These are especially difficult when facing an explosive team like Ole Miss.”
Indeed, the Tigers’ offense has not been up to scratch over the past few years, and, in fact, it is that exact issue that got Hugh Freeze fired. The Tigers’ defense, in that time, has consistently been among the best in the nation, but Auburn’s offense has rarely been able to capitalize on the opportunities the defense provides.
Alex Golesh is clearly looking to change that this season, as the Tigers’ offense is almost completely brand-new, with only Jeremiah Cobb, the aforementioned RB1, returning as a starter from last year’s team. New quarterback Byrum Brown, who is known for his explosivity, will also look to make an impact in those moments, especially if he wants potentially to go toe-to-toe with Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss in the Heisman conversation.
Without a doubt, the Tigers’ Halloween matchup in Oxford will be one to watch, as both teams are in a pivotal year in their histories. If the Tigers can emerge from the Sip victorious, it will bode well not only for the Tigers’ 2026 season but also for their future as a whole.
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Key Auburn Tiger Named ‘Heisman Dark Horse’ By National Media
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have been struggling to find a consistent quarterback option over the past few years, but new head coach Alex Golesh seems highly confident in his guy, Byrum Brown.
Brown has been hyped incessantly on the Plains over the past few months, and on Saturday, CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford added his opinion to the mix.
Crawford’s opinion? Byrum Brown could very well be a dark horse in this year’s Heisman race, despite his +5500 odds to do so.
“If first-year coach Alex Golesh builds Auburn into an immediate contender, Brown has the talent to crash the Heisman conversation,” Crawford said. “The connection between Brown and Golesh is a major reason why. Brown flourished in Golesh's system at USF, accounting for 42 total touchdowns and more than 4,100 yards of offense while becoming one of the nation's most productive dual-threat quarterbacks.”
This is, certainly, a big set of shoes for Brown to fill in his lone year of eligibility with the Tigers, though I will be the first to admit I had Brown as a dark horse Heisman candidate after the Bulls’ performance against Boise State in week one of 2025. He certainly has the skills and build to earn a Heisman, but will he be able to do so at Auburn?
For Brown to even seriously be in the Heisman conversation, the Tigers would have to go on a monster first-year run, likely well above and beyond their 6.5 win projection in 2026. If last year’s season is anything to go by, the Tigers’ defense will make sure the Tigers stay in games, regardless of opponent, so it will come down to Brown and company to finish the jobs that Freeze’s offense could not.
Brown, who is already one of the better rushers in football, will have a top-level supporting cast on the ground, including Auburn returner Jeremiah Cobb and Baylor transfer Bryson Washington, which should open up plenty of options for Brown to get free and break off the big runs he was known for at USF.
In the air, though, is where a big question mark still resides. The Tigers are relying on a receiving core almost entirely made up of Brown’s former USF targets, which is certainly a double-edged sword for the Tigers’ offense. On one hand, the connection and scheme familiarity between receivers and quarterback will certainly help the Tigers’ passing game, but some have speculated that the Tigers’ transfer receivers may struggle in the SEC due to the sheer dominance of many SEC defenses.
As it always does, it will take a herculean effort from Brown, Golesh and company to land Brown with the Heisman this year, but, of course, anything is possible.
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National Media Predicts Auburn to Have First Winning Season Since 2020
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
It has been an incredibly rough decade for fans of the Auburn Tigers, who have not seen their chosen football program record a winning season since the pandemic, when Gus Malzahn was still at the helm. However, CBS Sports predicts that to change in 2026, as on Friday, Brad Crawford predicted the Tigers to go 7-5 this season, with a 4-5 SEC record.
“This would qualify as meaningful progress on The Plains for a program that's spent the last several years searching for stability,” Crawford said. “The Tigers aren't devoid of talent, but expectations should be tempered given the roster turnover, coaching transition and the weekly grind of the SEC. A seven-win campaign would likely mean Auburn held serve against the teams it should beat and won a game or two against a couple of more established opponents.”
In his projection, Crawford predicted the Tigers to win key games against Baylor, Southern Miss, Florida, Vanderbilt, at Tennessee, Arkansas and Samford, while losing at Georgia, against LSU, at Ole Miss, at Mississippi State and at Alabama.
This would certainly be a massive improvement for the Tigers, who lost some ugly games last year, including to Missouri, Arkansas and Kentucky, the latter of which was so bad that it got Hugh Freeze fired. Roster turnover has been a big topic of discussion, but Golesh’s A- grade for the 2026 season certainly bodes well for the talent level of this new roster.
Crawford believes that there is something much more important that could come out of a winning season, though.
“More importantly, it would provide tangible evidence that Alex Golesh's culture and offensive philosophy are taking hold,” he said. “Auburn fans want signs that the program is moving in the right direction, not necessarily championship contention overnight. A bowl appearance and competitive losses to elite opponents would make 2026 a successful year for building the foundation.”
There is a common misconception that Auburn fans are of the “playoff or bust” mentality as it relates to their team, but after a stretch of so many bad seasons, it seems as if those on the Plains are just desperate to see their team perform at any semblance of a high level, especially on offense.
Golesh has brought in a top-notch class of transfers that have replaced nearly the entire 2025 offense, who will join a Tigers defense that should be strong enough to keep them within striking distance, even against top teams. They were able to last year, but Freeze’s offense was never able to strike when it mattered. Evidently, CBS believes that Golesh’s offense will.
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Auburn's offensive line just got the scariest appraisal
By Andrew Hughes
Fly War Eagle
As much promise as Alex Golesh has delivered during his first offseason as the Auburn Tigers' head football coach, he didn't inspire much confidence in the team's ability to protect the backfield. The offensive line really may remain a sore spot for the team, like it's been for the entirety of the program's five-year losing season streak.
247Sports' Christian Clemente doesn't believe there are any standout guards who have earned their keep as a starter. During an interview with Rocky Top Insider's Ryan Sylvia, Clemente claimed there's only one clear starter at all: USF Bulls transfer center Cole Best.
"It’s a lot of USF transfers and then a bit of a hodgepodge of an offensive line. That’s where we’ll start, as that’s the biggest question mark and likely the weakness on this side of the ball. Just three total players return from last year’s team, and they’re all second-year players who are likely in the two-deep but probably not starters. Cole Best is the only “lock” of a starter, as he was USF’s starting center, ranked pretty well in the transfer portal and is expected to maintain his role at Auburn. The continuity there with Brown and Golesh should help the unit. A combo of James Madison transfer Jo Simmons and Michigan State transfer Stanton Ramil are the likely tackles, but questions surround Ramil’s health with multiple injuries previously and very limited in spring. The guard spots are still completely up in the air, to be honest," Clemente said.
Now that is a nightmare to hear, full stop. Any resurrection on the Plains during the 2026 season will have to involve the offense finally matching DJ Durkin's defensive dominance. Without a strong base of protection, it's hard to see why the product will look radically different. Even with practically an entirely new offensive cast.
It's not as though Ashton Daniels, Jackson Arnold, Payton Thorne, Robby Ashford, and Bo Nix didn't have wheels over the five losing seasons. In the SEC, with some of the toughest offensive line talent to contend with in the entire country, and uber-athletic linebackers and nickels to spy, you need to give your QB room to operate.
Golesh and Tyler Hudanick did well enough to find a few tackles who could develop, but if Stanton Ramil can't suit up, it's hard to have much confidence in the blindside spot. With no concrete plan between the tackles after spring practice, to boot, this could get ugly quickly against the SEC's best defensive fronts.
Auburn's 2026 expectations don't typically exceed 7-5 for a reason
You may be seeing some list the Tigers' ceiling at eight wins. If that happens, the 2026 season will have been a best-case scenario. Anything above eight wins would be a fever dream. At this point, let's set the bar at six wins, with seven being a successful year.
Auburn can't possibly expect more as long as the OL is in the shape it's in. We expected growing pains for the group, but not to the extent that team insiders don't even know who will start at the guard spots in June.
Golesh has done a lot of good. Right now, that doesn't include building a makeshift offensive line that could keep the team contending for the SEC crown in year one.
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Auburn’s Alex Golesh Receives Favorable Roster Grade Ahead of 2026 Season
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have seen quite a significant roster overhaul since Hugh Freeze was fired, mostly on offense.
Notably, the Tigers lost their entire quarterback room for the second straight year, nearly all of their receivers, their entire offensive line and a host of other key contributors.
However, Alex Golesh quickly went to work with what was left of his roster, and when the dust settled, the Tigers had an incredibly strong roster that could easily prove to be one of the better teams in the SEC.
On Thursday, CBS Sports’ David Cobb put out an article ranking the rosters of all coaches in their first year with a program, and Golesh received quite a favorable A- grade.
“The fulcrum of South Florida's high-powered offensive attack is coming with Golesh from Tampa, headlined by dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown,” Cobb said. “The veteran star will bring his top back and most of his leading receivers from last season with him. Those additions set a high floor for Golesh, who learned how to make this offense work in the SEC during his time under Josh Heupel at Tennessee.”
Brown is, despite a bit of negative press about his throwing motion, without a doubt one of the most anticipated quarterbacks to journey to the Plains in some time, as the Tigers have not had a proven, top-level competitor in the saddle in some time.
Joining him on offense, as Cobb mentioned, is a host of USF transfer receivers that will look to somewhat replace the production of the ‘Freeze Four,’ a highly-talented and rated group of receivers that were signed under Hugh Freeze and transferred when he left. The new group’s familiarity with Golesh’s scheme should bode well for an easy installation, though, which results in more time being available to focus on execution and consistency.
Defensively, though, is where the Tigers appear to be the strongest.
Over the past few years (and some would argue decades), Auburn has lived and died by its defense, and this year’s unit is, undoubtedly, one of the best in the nation. The Tigers’ linebacker group, consisting of Atkins, Demarcus Riddick, Bryce Deas, Elijah Melendez and a host of others, already ranks in the top-three in the SEC.
The Tigers’ biggest loss on defense from the 2025 season was Keldric Faulk, who was snapped up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but Golesh went out and found a top-level replacement in Da’Shawn Womack, an Ole Miss transfer who is expected to be one of the Tigers’ top contenders this year.
So, though Alex Golesh certainly had his work cut out for him when he stepped into the role, he has executed his roster creation to near perfection, and the Auburn family are already beginning to step out and show their support.
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Auburn insider projects 1 offseason addition shining vs. the Vols
By Andrew Hughes
Fly War Eagle
The Auburn Tigers added a crucial piece to DJ Durkin's defensive coaching staff this past offseason, who was with head coach Alex Golesh in Knoxville once upon a time, in safeties coach Tim Banks. Of course, Banks also worked with the Tennessee Volunteers' head coach and offensive mastermind, Josh Heupel, as the team's defensive coordinator for five seasons. That could hold a strategic advantage when Auburn visits Neyland Stadium as the first game of a brutal October.
That's the case 247Sports' Christian Clemente made during an interview with Rocky Top Insider's Ryan Sylvia, who asked Clemente if familiarity with both coaching staffs could give one team the advantage. Clemente deemed it a wash, but having Banks could be more consequential to a culture that still has Heuepel as the figurehead than the Assistant GM, Player Personnel of the late Hugh Freeze era, Ryan Smith, switching to the Big Orange side.
"Auburn has Alex Golesh, Tim Banks, some other assistant coaches and personnel staffers that were up in Knoxville, and even Tennessee has some staffers who just left Auburn and work in the personnel department now. You’d probably lean towards a slight edge in favor of Auburn here given Banks’ familiarity with how Josh Heupel runs his offense, but I’d agree with your question and put it closer to a wash than anything else," Clemente said.
Obviously, Heupel will probably do everything possible to trip Banks up. A bit of an offensive overhaul during the week of the Tigers game is almost certainly in order. Still, Banks knows Heupel's tendencies. The two worked closely together for half a decade. In no uncertain terms, Banks is a specific strategic advantage for this matchup.
What you hope is that Banks will be a winning ingredient beyond just one road game in the SEC. There's more than just one landmine on the schedule. By the time that game's over, things will just be getting started for Golesh's debut season. The Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers, and Ole Miss Rebels await in October after that game.
There's no overwhelming reason to think Banks won't be a long-term positive, even if some among GBO have their opinions on his tenure there. Banks is in a much better position in East Central Alabama to succeed.
Tim Banks delegating responsibilities to DJ Durkin will be great for him
When it comes to Banks' time on Rocky Top, the problem was never the talent. Banks was always able to bring top recruits in, but besides guys like Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson III in the secondary, Tennessee was typically lacking in DB development outside of a strong 2024 season. Who knows what truly even happened with Boo Carter, but he spectacularly crashed and burned on the Vols despite coming in with sky-high expectations. A lot of the time, Tennessee was strong in the middle eight but folded late in games. Banks had good with the bad.
Luckily, Banks will be working with one position group on the Plains and could see play-calling alongside Durkin. If he could do what he does best and allow Durkin to handle what he can't, there's no reason to think the arrangement won't work from a big-picture standpoint.
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UGA fans are accusing the SEC of an Auburn conspiracy and proving Alex Golesh has the Dawgs shook
By Andrew Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Even though the Georgia Bulldogs have won the past eight Deep South's Oldest Rivalry matchups, the Dawgs know that at some point, the Auburn Tigers will get at least one lick back. UGA fans sound fearful that 2026 could be the year.
Particularly, Dawn of the Dawg's Trevor Michael, who accused the SEC of conspiring against the Bulldogs by giving AU the bye week right before the two teams play for the second year in a row. The following is just not the words of someone who is convinced his team will continue owning this matchup.
"Could there actually be a chance that the SEC is trying to help Auburn finally beat Georgia? The Tigers have lost nine straight to Georgia, so maybe the SEC wants to see Auburn get a win in what is one of the biggest rivalries in the SEC. ... If the SEC wanted to help Auburn win there really wouldn't be much that they could do to help them without being too obvious. In fact, arranging the schedules in a certain way to benefit one team over another is about the only thing they can do," Michael wrote.
"That is exactly what the SEC did because Auburn has a bye week the week before playing Georgia while UGA does not. In fact, Georgia plays arguably their most difficult game of the season (at Alabama) one week before playing Auburn this season."
Alex Golesh is inspiring hope for the orange and blue, which means dread from opposing fan bases. Given how serious he is on the recruiting trail, and how he's explicitly promised that his legacy on the Plains won't be defined by golf, it's not unfounded. Most reasonable observers could understand that Golesh having his play-caller, quarterback, and some skill-position threats from his time with the USF Bulls makes the Tigers offense live-wire in 2026. DJ Durkin lost some elite talents, like edge-rushers Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford, and 3-technique/nose tackle Bobby Jamison-Travis, but he'll maintain his defensive identity with far less turnover than the offense.
Not for nothing, the pendulum has to swing back from UGA at some point. The Dawgs still recruit well because of Kirby Smart's presence at the helm, but Georgia isn't dominating like it did before third-party sources started buying recruits.
There are signs that the fall of the Dawgs, at least from the mythical status they've had for the past decade, could happen sooner rather than later.
Losing Auburn transfer Amaris Williams could doom the Dawgs
Perhaps losing Auburn transfer EDGE Amaris Williams to an ACL tear in April could be the kind of devastation that sets the team's mood back. Expected to anchor the defense and cause issues for opposing backfields, Williams will now miss the 2026 season.
With no extra portal window to compensate, UGA is starting the year from behind. While there will be depth to cover for it, to a degree, you wonder if the machine runs smoothly for yet another year. At some point, the law of averages has to drag the Dawgs down. Taking an emotional blow early in the offseason from losing a potential difference-maker could cast a black cloud over the Peach State this season.
The more panic seems to seep through UGA fans' words, the likelier it is that there is a real opening to finally end the Tigers' struggles in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry this season. Perhaps the Bulldogs are due for the kind of down year that the Alabama Crimson Tide had in 2024, where the CFP isn't in the cards and widespread worries about competing in this era are.
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Alex Golesh Teases New Auburn Tigers Commit
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
It is starting to seem like Alex Golesh will never be satisfied with the standing of the Auburn Tigers’ 2027 recruiting class, as on Friday night, the Tigers’ head coach put out another cryptic X post that insinuates that the Tigers have landed a new commitment.
https://x.com/CoachGolesh/status/2070651150542467456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2070651150542467456%7Ctwgr%5E47fc98a4b431fc6231ef49c2be264824053fb209%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Falex-golesh-teases-new-auburn-tigers-commit-marquis-evans
The Tigers’ 2027 class is already among the best in the nation, as it currently stands as the ninth-best class in the country, according to 247Sports. It is currently made up of nine four-star prospects and 15 three-star prospects.
So, who could Golesh’s post be referring to? A popular theory sees the Tigers landing Marquis Evans, who would be yet another top-tier pickup for the Tigers’ top-level class.
Evans is a four-star defensive lineman/edge rusher who originally hails from Spain Park in Birmingham, Ala. A clear blue-chip prospect, Evans is currently rated as the 24th-best defensive lineman in the class as well as the 10th-best player from his home state of Alabama.
As it stands, the Tigers are leading in Evans’ recruitment with a 93.7% chance, per Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine. South Carolina, Tennessee, Miami and Florida are also in the running, but each have less than a 2% chance to land Evans.
The Tigers’ 2027 class already boasts some of the best edge rushers in the country, including James Pace, a four-star, and Rion Jackson, a three-star, so Evans’ addition would serve to bolster that room beyond what many Tiger fans expected from Golesh in his first full recruiting cycle.
The Tigers lost quite a bit of depth at the edge rushing position this past offseason, as both Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford, two of the Tigers’ best, were snapped up in this year’s NFL Draft, Faulk in the first round, Crawford in the third.
For 2026, the Tigers will lean on new transfer Da’Shawn Womack, a former five-star prospect turned four-star transfer, to lead their edge rushing group. However, Womack’s eligibility is waning, so there will be room for new Tigers to step up and prove to DJ Durkin that they deserve the starting spot in the coming years.
There had been some talk that Alex Golesh was unable to recruit well in-state, but he seems to have put that narrative to bed in the past few weeks. Notably, Deshawn Hall, an Alabama-based four-star receiver, was a massive, highly improbable acquisition for the Tigers, and now the program has turned its attention to Evans.
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Auburn football's player ratings released for EA's College Football 27
By Jac Myrick
Auburn Wire
EA Sports released its official ratings for the upcoming release of EA Sports College Football 27, and gave the Auburn football team an overall rating of 83 for this year's game.
Many college football fans look forward to this time of year now since the return of the college football video games, where they get to see where their favorite teams stack up. In this year's edition of EA Sports College Football, Auburn lands at an overall rating of 83 with a 86 overall offense and 80 overall defense.
It seems the folks at EA are high on the Tigers' offensive side of the ball. The leader of the offense, quarterback Byrum Brown, is the highest-rated offensive player on the Tigers with an 89 overall. Other key players like wide receiver Keshaun Singleton and running back Jeremiah Cobb received 88 overalls.
On the defense, it seems EA is not clearly high on what DJ Durkin and crew are going to be able to do in 2026. Linebacker Xavier Atkins did come in as the Tigers' highest-rated player in the game this year, even making the top-3 in the whole game. You would expect that many on the defense have their ratings changed a good bit throughout the season updates for the game.
EA Sports' new college football game will drop on July 9, available on PlayStation, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Top-10 overall players
91 LB Xavier Atkins
89 QB Byrum Brown
88 RB Jeremiah Cobb
88 WR Keshaun Singleton
87 RB Bryson Washington
85 CB Rayshawn Pleasant
84 K Alex McPherson
84 DT Dallas Walker IV
83 DT Cody Sigler
82 DT Malik Autry
Most Valuable Tigers: No. 20:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-tigers-football-roster-offensive-line-deryc-plazz-depth-chart-288016045/
Most Valuable Tigers: No. 19:
https://247sports.com/college/auburn/article/auburn-tigers-fooball-roster-dallas-walker-defensive-line-288039985/
Path to the Plains: Offensive lineman Cole Best:
https://www.on3.com/teams/auburn-tigers/news/path-to-the-plains-offensive-lineman-cole-best/
On SI Previews Auburn’s Matchup With Ole Miss: Could Auburn Be a ‘Scary Team to Face’?:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/on-si-previews-auburn-ole-miss-halloween
Key Auburn Tiger Named ‘Heisman Dark Horse’ By National Media:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/byrum-brown-heisman-dark-horse
National Media Predicts Auburn to Have First Winning Season Since 2020:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/national-media-predicts-auburn-to-have-first-winning-season-since-2020
Auburn's offensive line just got the scariest appraisal:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-offensive-line-scariest-appraisal
Auburn’s Alex Golesh Receives Favorable Roster Grade Ahead of 2026 Season:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/football/auburn-s-alex-golesh-receives-favorable-roster-grade-ahead-of-2026-season
Auburn insider projects 1 offseason addition shining vs. the Vols:
https://flywareagle.com/auburn-insider-projects-1-offseason-addition-shining-vs-vols
UGA fans are accusing the SEC of an Auburn conspiracy and proving Alex Golesh has the Dawgs shook:
https://flywareagle.com/uga-fans-accusing-sec-auburn-conspiracy-proving-alex-golesh-dawgs-shook
Alex Golesh Teases New Auburn Tigers Commit:
https://www.si.com/college/auburn/recruiting/alex-golesh-teases-new-auburn-tigers-commit-marquis-evans
Auburn football's player ratings released for EA's College Football 27:
https://auburnwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/auburn/football/2026/06/27/auburn-football-ratings-released-college-football-27-ea-sports/90714013007/
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By Nathan King
We're still in the heart of the college football offseason: two months removed from spring practice, more than a month from media days, and inside 100 days until the 2026 season, Auburn's first under head coach Alex Golesh.
So what better time to crank up the rankings? As we do annually this time of year, Auburn Undercover is counting down the top 25 most valuable players for the Tigers' 2026 season.
A few notes to set the table: These rankings are based on a player's previous contributions in college, as well as his assumed impact in 2026 — how important he is expected to be to Auburn's success in both production and the win-loss column. It is not simply Auburn's best players in descending order.
Next up is No. 20: offensive guard Deryc Plazz, a Miami transfer who doesn't have much experience, but brings plenty of talent and upside, which became evident in him earning a starting job at left guard in spring practice.
AS A RECRUIT
Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla.
Class: 2024
247Sports ranking: 3-star, No. 42 IOL
AS A PLAYER
Originally a Penn State commit, Plazz flipped to Miami and spent two seasons with the Hurricanes, including the 2025 campaign as the backup left tackle for a team that made the national championship. Plazz developed under Mario Cristobal, who obviously has a strong history of producing NFL offensive linemen, and the young Plazz was able to learn this past season behind two NFL draft picks.
In total, Plazz appeared in three games of mop-up duty as a redshirt freshman. Seeking a starting opportunity, he transferred from Miami and landed with the Tigers, where, despite having played tackle most of his career, he was viewed as an interior player by first-year position coach Tyler Hudanick.
Auburn was high on Plazz's potential at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, and he immediately made an impact in spring ball. Plazz rarely deviated from the first-team spot at left guard.
2026 OUTLOOK
Hudanick will continue to strain his group with competition in fall camp, especially with Michigan State transfer offensive tackle Stanton Ramil entering the mix after recovering from his injury. We'll see how that shakes out the starting group, but for now, there's no reason to believe Plazz can't continue to hold down his spot at left guard.
A change at tackle, if Ramil causes one, could move someone like Tai Buster inside to a guard spot, and that could introduce competition for Plazz. But even when Buster kicked inside in the spring, it was usually to replace Cole Skinner at right guard. Plazz was considered one of Auburn's most consistent players along the offensive line in spring practice.
Plazz is a bit of a wild card, considering his lack of experience, but his status as a starter already has him above someone like Ramil in our rankings. If has the capabilities Auburn thinks he does, the left side of the Tigers' offensive line could be quite solid, with him and Jo Simmons.
WHAT THEY SAID
"My experience at my last school was a lot of sitting and watching behind a great offensive line. Just being able to get to the national championship, you've got to take advantage of that opportunity and make the most of it. Now I'm here, I can take things from those older guys and apply it to our o-line room as well as seeing those things from (Golesh) that are in place that I feel like are important for a successful team." — Plazz on transferring to Auburn
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Most Valuable Tigers: No. 19
By Nathan King
We're still in the heart of the college football offseason: two months removed from spring practice, more than a month from media days, and inside 100 days until the 2026 season, Auburn's first under head coach Alex Golesh.
So what better time to crank up the rankings? As we do annually this time of year, Auburn Undercover is counting down the top 25 most valuable players for the Tigers' 2026 season.
A few notes to set the table: These rankings are based on a player's previous contributions in college, as well as his assumed impact in 2026 — how important he is expected to be to Auburn's success in both production and the win-loss column. It is not simply Auburn's best players in descending order.
Next up is No. 19: defensive tackle Dallas Walker IV, an important offseason retention for Auburn after the seventh-year senior was granted an additional year of eligibility, giving the Tigers more experience in the middle of the defensive line of scrimmage.
AS A RECRUIT
Hometown: Smyrna, Tenn.
Class: 2020
247Sports ranking: 3-star, No. 66 DT
AS A PLAYER
The second-oldest player on Auburn's roster, only behind 25-year-old Hudson Kaak, Walker signed with Texas A&M six years ago. He came to Auburn from Western Kentucky, where he was a solid portal prospect, having amassed 49 tackles and four tackles for loss in 2024.
Walker was Auburn's second-most utilized nose tackle last season behind Bobby Jamison-Travis. Considering the turnover on Auburn's defensive line, the Tigers certainly wanted Walker back after he 13 tackles and a forced fumble as a backup, but whether he could play another season of college football was uncertain.
Walker began his career at Texas A&M in 2020, then redshirted the following season. So neither of those years affected his eligibility clock, considering the COVID year didn't count for anyone. Walker fully played the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Western Kentucky before transferring to Auburn.
The subject of Auburn's waiver application to the NCAA was 2022. Walker was still enrolled at Texas A&M but did not play football. There was no question that, heading into 2026, he had only played three non-redshirt seasons of college football, but it was unclear whether the NCAA would consider 2022 against his eligibility.
The ruling came back in Auburn's favor early in February, and Walker immediately assumed the starting nose-tackle job in spring practice.
2026 OUTLOOK
By virtue of his position, Walker obviously is not one of the flashier players on this team. But his role is vitally important for DJ Durkin's defense next season. Getting an additional year for Walker was the equivalent of landing a solid Power Four nose tackle in the transfer portal.
Walker will need to be a bit more impactful, of course, to help continue to open up lanes for linebackers like Xavier Atkins to wreak havoc in the middle. Walker has help, though, with sophomore Malik Autry and redshirt freshman Jourdin Crawford rotating in at nose. App State transfer Saint Farrior brings some experience to the depth chart, too.
Walker has said his goal has been to be a bit quicker this season, and he's down to 345 pounds after arriving at Auburn just shy of 370. Again, he does not need to be dominant up front, but with starters Malik Blocton (transfer) and Jamison-Travis (NFL Draft) gone from the defensive tackles room, Walker will have plenty of responsibility to be a solid presence for the Tigers' front seven this fall.
WHAT THEY SAID
"Yeah, I'm definitely comfortable with it. I just try to be a leader, but I also kind of try to fit in with my guys and make sure that they know that I'm still there with them and that they could feel free to critique me and tell me things that I might do better that they might see that someone else might not see." — Walker on Auburn's coaching staff encouraging him to be a leader
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Path to the Plains: Offensive lineman Cole Best
By Caleb Jones
Auburn’s roster will look almost brand new this fall.
It’s just how college football operates nowadays. The transfer portal makes it more rare than ever for fans to know the entire roster like they used to. And since there’s so much overturn on Auburn’s roster, there’s no better time than the summer to get to know the guys suiting up for the Tigers this fall.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll take a look at the projected two-deep and their journey to the Plains.
Up next in our series is projected starting center Cole Best.
FROM LIMITED OFFERS TO THE SEC
Best’s story begins in Winter Park, Fla., where he played high school football for Trinity Preparatory School. He earned a couple of offers as a three-star prospect, with Western Kentucky and South Florida the primary contenders in his high school recruitment.
South Florida won out, as the in-state program earned his commitment in August of 2020. Through his first two seasons, Best saw minimal action as the program won just three games. It led to the firing of head coach Jeff Scott in 2022, with Alex Golesh then taking over the reigns.
In year three with South Florida and year one under Golesh, Best finally started seeing the field more often. He saw action in 11 games in 2023 as a member of the two-deep before finally earning some starts in 2024.
Best started 10 games for South Florida in 2024. Three of those starts were at left guard, while seven were at center. When he made his first career start at center in mid-October that season, it began a 20-game starting streak that continues to this day.
He started all 13 games last season for South Florida, earning Third Team All-Conference honors in doing so. Following the year, Best decided to enter the transfer portal as a grad transfer for his final season of eligibility.
His destination came to no surprise — following his former head coach and quarterback for the last three seasons to Auburn.
Best will now give his best for Auburn, as he projects as the starting center for the program. It’s quite the journey — going from a 3-star prospect with limited offers to the starting under the lights in college football’s premier conference.
QUOTE OF NOTE
“I got a chip on my shoulder, 100 percent, you know?” Best said in March. “Felt like in the past, I kind of accomplished everything that I set out to do. So coming here in this conference and having the opportunity to just showcase my skills and what I’m made of, it means everything. I wake up every day with that chip on my shoulder and that on my mind, to show not only this, these guys, but the whole world, who I am and what I’m made of.”
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On SI Previews Auburn’s Matchup With Ole Miss: Could Auburn Be a ‘Scary Team to Face’?
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have a gauntlet of an SEC schedule this season, and one matchup just about everyone has circled on their calendar is October 31, in which the Tigers will travel to Oxford to take on the Ole Miss Rebels.
Led by Pete Golding and Trinidad Chambliss, the Rebels are expected to be a top-level team in 2026, though Rebels On SI writer Jimmy Petruzzi believes Alex Golesh’s program has one key strength and one key weakness that could make all the difference for the Tigers.
“Auburn might not be a name many think of when it comes to 2020s SEC football, but nevertheless, they are still a scary team to face, especially late in the season,” he wrote. “Once the offensive line gets the momentum going, Auburn will be able to dictate the pace of play and shorten the game.”
Petruzzi is referring to the Tigers’ rushing attack here, which is poised to be among the best in the nation if, to his point, the Tigers’ offensive line can get some momentum going. Led by Auburn returner Jeremiah Cobb, Baylor transfer Bryson Washington and dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown, the Tigers have a significant opportunity to break off big runs while controlling the pace of the game.
However, Petruzzi also believes there is one factor that could lose Auburn the game, and it is one that Tiger fans are all too familiar with: offensive inconsistency.
“Inconsistency on offense is one of the largest concerns of the Auburn football team,” he said. “Whether it's turnovers at the wrong times, third-down failures, or stalling in the red zone, Auburn's offensive performance hasn't been up to par when facing good teams this decade. These are especially difficult when facing an explosive team like Ole Miss.”
Indeed, the Tigers’ offense has not been up to scratch over the past few years, and, in fact, it is that exact issue that got Hugh Freeze fired. The Tigers’ defense, in that time, has consistently been among the best in the nation, but Auburn’s offense has rarely been able to capitalize on the opportunities the defense provides.
Alex Golesh is clearly looking to change that this season, as the Tigers’ offense is almost completely brand-new, with only Jeremiah Cobb, the aforementioned RB1, returning as a starter from last year’s team. New quarterback Byrum Brown, who is known for his explosivity, will also look to make an impact in those moments, especially if he wants potentially to go toe-to-toe with Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss in the Heisman conversation.
Without a doubt, the Tigers’ Halloween matchup in Oxford will be one to watch, as both teams are in a pivotal year in their histories. If the Tigers can emerge from the Sip victorious, it will bode well not only for the Tigers’ 2026 season but also for their future as a whole.
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Key Auburn Tiger Named ‘Heisman Dark Horse’ By National Media
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have been struggling to find a consistent quarterback option over the past few years, but new head coach Alex Golesh seems highly confident in his guy, Byrum Brown.
Brown has been hyped incessantly on the Plains over the past few months, and on Saturday, CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford added his opinion to the mix.
Crawford’s opinion? Byrum Brown could very well be a dark horse in this year’s Heisman race, despite his +5500 odds to do so.
“If first-year coach Alex Golesh builds Auburn into an immediate contender, Brown has the talent to crash the Heisman conversation,” Crawford said. “The connection between Brown and Golesh is a major reason why. Brown flourished in Golesh's system at USF, accounting for 42 total touchdowns and more than 4,100 yards of offense while becoming one of the nation's most productive dual-threat quarterbacks.”
This is, certainly, a big set of shoes for Brown to fill in his lone year of eligibility with the Tigers, though I will be the first to admit I had Brown as a dark horse Heisman candidate after the Bulls’ performance against Boise State in week one of 2025. He certainly has the skills and build to earn a Heisman, but will he be able to do so at Auburn?
For Brown to even seriously be in the Heisman conversation, the Tigers would have to go on a monster first-year run, likely well above and beyond their 6.5 win projection in 2026. If last year’s season is anything to go by, the Tigers’ defense will make sure the Tigers stay in games, regardless of opponent, so it will come down to Brown and company to finish the jobs that Freeze’s offense could not.
Brown, who is already one of the better rushers in football, will have a top-level supporting cast on the ground, including Auburn returner Jeremiah Cobb and Baylor transfer Bryson Washington, which should open up plenty of options for Brown to get free and break off the big runs he was known for at USF.
In the air, though, is where a big question mark still resides. The Tigers are relying on a receiving core almost entirely made up of Brown’s former USF targets, which is certainly a double-edged sword for the Tigers’ offense. On one hand, the connection and scheme familiarity between receivers and quarterback will certainly help the Tigers’ passing game, but some have speculated that the Tigers’ transfer receivers may struggle in the SEC due to the sheer dominance of many SEC defenses.
As it always does, it will take a herculean effort from Brown, Golesh and company to land Brown with the Heisman this year, but, of course, anything is possible.
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National Media Predicts Auburn to Have First Winning Season Since 2020
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
It has been an incredibly rough decade for fans of the Auburn Tigers, who have not seen their chosen football program record a winning season since the pandemic, when Gus Malzahn was still at the helm. However, CBS Sports predicts that to change in 2026, as on Friday, Brad Crawford predicted the Tigers to go 7-5 this season, with a 4-5 SEC record.
“This would qualify as meaningful progress on The Plains for a program that's spent the last several years searching for stability,” Crawford said. “The Tigers aren't devoid of talent, but expectations should be tempered given the roster turnover, coaching transition and the weekly grind of the SEC. A seven-win campaign would likely mean Auburn held serve against the teams it should beat and won a game or two against a couple of more established opponents.”
In his projection, Crawford predicted the Tigers to win key games against Baylor, Southern Miss, Florida, Vanderbilt, at Tennessee, Arkansas and Samford, while losing at Georgia, against LSU, at Ole Miss, at Mississippi State and at Alabama.
This would certainly be a massive improvement for the Tigers, who lost some ugly games last year, including to Missouri, Arkansas and Kentucky, the latter of which was so bad that it got Hugh Freeze fired. Roster turnover has been a big topic of discussion, but Golesh’s A- grade for the 2026 season certainly bodes well for the talent level of this new roster.
Crawford believes that there is something much more important that could come out of a winning season, though.
“More importantly, it would provide tangible evidence that Alex Golesh's culture and offensive philosophy are taking hold,” he said. “Auburn fans want signs that the program is moving in the right direction, not necessarily championship contention overnight. A bowl appearance and competitive losses to elite opponents would make 2026 a successful year for building the foundation.”
There is a common misconception that Auburn fans are of the “playoff or bust” mentality as it relates to their team, but after a stretch of so many bad seasons, it seems as if those on the Plains are just desperate to see their team perform at any semblance of a high level, especially on offense.
Golesh has brought in a top-notch class of transfers that have replaced nearly the entire 2025 offense, who will join a Tigers defense that should be strong enough to keep them within striking distance, even against top teams. They were able to last year, but Freeze’s offense was never able to strike when it mattered. Evidently, CBS believes that Golesh’s offense will.
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Auburn's offensive line just got the scariest appraisal
By Andrew Hughes
Fly War Eagle
As much promise as Alex Golesh has delivered during his first offseason as the Auburn Tigers' head football coach, he didn't inspire much confidence in the team's ability to protect the backfield. The offensive line really may remain a sore spot for the team, like it's been for the entirety of the program's five-year losing season streak.
247Sports' Christian Clemente doesn't believe there are any standout guards who have earned their keep as a starter. During an interview with Rocky Top Insider's Ryan Sylvia, Clemente claimed there's only one clear starter at all: USF Bulls transfer center Cole Best.
"It’s a lot of USF transfers and then a bit of a hodgepodge of an offensive line. That’s where we’ll start, as that’s the biggest question mark and likely the weakness on this side of the ball. Just three total players return from last year’s team, and they’re all second-year players who are likely in the two-deep but probably not starters. Cole Best is the only “lock” of a starter, as he was USF’s starting center, ranked pretty well in the transfer portal and is expected to maintain his role at Auburn. The continuity there with Brown and Golesh should help the unit. A combo of James Madison transfer Jo Simmons and Michigan State transfer Stanton Ramil are the likely tackles, but questions surround Ramil’s health with multiple injuries previously and very limited in spring. The guard spots are still completely up in the air, to be honest," Clemente said.
Now that is a nightmare to hear, full stop. Any resurrection on the Plains during the 2026 season will have to involve the offense finally matching DJ Durkin's defensive dominance. Without a strong base of protection, it's hard to see why the product will look radically different. Even with practically an entirely new offensive cast.
It's not as though Ashton Daniels, Jackson Arnold, Payton Thorne, Robby Ashford, and Bo Nix didn't have wheels over the five losing seasons. In the SEC, with some of the toughest offensive line talent to contend with in the entire country, and uber-athletic linebackers and nickels to spy, you need to give your QB room to operate.
Golesh and Tyler Hudanick did well enough to find a few tackles who could develop, but if Stanton Ramil can't suit up, it's hard to have much confidence in the blindside spot. With no concrete plan between the tackles after spring practice, to boot, this could get ugly quickly against the SEC's best defensive fronts.
Auburn's 2026 expectations don't typically exceed 7-5 for a reason
You may be seeing some list the Tigers' ceiling at eight wins. If that happens, the 2026 season will have been a best-case scenario. Anything above eight wins would be a fever dream. At this point, let's set the bar at six wins, with seven being a successful year.
Auburn can't possibly expect more as long as the OL is in the shape it's in. We expected growing pains for the group, but not to the extent that team insiders don't even know who will start at the guard spots in June.
Golesh has done a lot of good. Right now, that doesn't include building a makeshift offensive line that could keep the team contending for the SEC crown in year one.
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Auburn’s Alex Golesh Receives Favorable Roster Grade Ahead of 2026 Season
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
The Auburn Tigers have seen quite a significant roster overhaul since Hugh Freeze was fired, mostly on offense.
Notably, the Tigers lost their entire quarterback room for the second straight year, nearly all of their receivers, their entire offensive line and a host of other key contributors.
However, Alex Golesh quickly went to work with what was left of his roster, and when the dust settled, the Tigers had an incredibly strong roster that could easily prove to be one of the better teams in the SEC.
On Thursday, CBS Sports’ David Cobb put out an article ranking the rosters of all coaches in their first year with a program, and Golesh received quite a favorable A- grade.
“The fulcrum of South Florida's high-powered offensive attack is coming with Golesh from Tampa, headlined by dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown,” Cobb said. “The veteran star will bring his top back and most of his leading receivers from last season with him. Those additions set a high floor for Golesh, who learned how to make this offense work in the SEC during his time under Josh Heupel at Tennessee.”
Brown is, despite a bit of negative press about his throwing motion, without a doubt one of the most anticipated quarterbacks to journey to the Plains in some time, as the Tigers have not had a proven, top-level competitor in the saddle in some time.
Joining him on offense, as Cobb mentioned, is a host of USF transfer receivers that will look to somewhat replace the production of the ‘Freeze Four,’ a highly-talented and rated group of receivers that were signed under Hugh Freeze and transferred when he left. The new group’s familiarity with Golesh’s scheme should bode well for an easy installation, though, which results in more time being available to focus on execution and consistency.
Defensively, though, is where the Tigers appear to be the strongest.
Over the past few years (and some would argue decades), Auburn has lived and died by its defense, and this year’s unit is, undoubtedly, one of the best in the nation. The Tigers’ linebacker group, consisting of Atkins, Demarcus Riddick, Bryce Deas, Elijah Melendez and a host of others, already ranks in the top-three in the SEC.
The Tigers’ biggest loss on defense from the 2025 season was Keldric Faulk, who was snapped up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but Golesh went out and found a top-level replacement in Da’Shawn Womack, an Ole Miss transfer who is expected to be one of the Tigers’ top contenders this year.
So, though Alex Golesh certainly had his work cut out for him when he stepped into the role, he has executed his roster creation to near perfection, and the Auburn family are already beginning to step out and show their support.
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Auburn insider projects 1 offseason addition shining vs. the Vols
By Andrew Hughes
Fly War Eagle
The Auburn Tigers added a crucial piece to DJ Durkin's defensive coaching staff this past offseason, who was with head coach Alex Golesh in Knoxville once upon a time, in safeties coach Tim Banks. Of course, Banks also worked with the Tennessee Volunteers' head coach and offensive mastermind, Josh Heupel, as the team's defensive coordinator for five seasons. That could hold a strategic advantage when Auburn visits Neyland Stadium as the first game of a brutal October.
That's the case 247Sports' Christian Clemente made during an interview with Rocky Top Insider's Ryan Sylvia, who asked Clemente if familiarity with both coaching staffs could give one team the advantage. Clemente deemed it a wash, but having Banks could be more consequential to a culture that still has Heuepel as the figurehead than the Assistant GM, Player Personnel of the late Hugh Freeze era, Ryan Smith, switching to the Big Orange side.
"Auburn has Alex Golesh, Tim Banks, some other assistant coaches and personnel staffers that were up in Knoxville, and even Tennessee has some staffers who just left Auburn and work in the personnel department now. You’d probably lean towards a slight edge in favor of Auburn here given Banks’ familiarity with how Josh Heupel runs his offense, but I’d agree with your question and put it closer to a wash than anything else," Clemente said.
Obviously, Heupel will probably do everything possible to trip Banks up. A bit of an offensive overhaul during the week of the Tigers game is almost certainly in order. Still, Banks knows Heupel's tendencies. The two worked closely together for half a decade. In no uncertain terms, Banks is a specific strategic advantage for this matchup.
What you hope is that Banks will be a winning ingredient beyond just one road game in the SEC. There's more than just one landmine on the schedule. By the time that game's over, things will just be getting started for Golesh's debut season. The Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers, and Ole Miss Rebels await in October after that game.
There's no overwhelming reason to think Banks won't be a long-term positive, even if some among GBO have their opinions on his tenure there. Banks is in a much better position in East Central Alabama to succeed.
Tim Banks delegating responsibilities to DJ Durkin will be great for him
When it comes to Banks' time on Rocky Top, the problem was never the talent. Banks was always able to bring top recruits in, but besides guys like Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson III in the secondary, Tennessee was typically lacking in DB development outside of a strong 2024 season. Who knows what truly even happened with Boo Carter, but he spectacularly crashed and burned on the Vols despite coming in with sky-high expectations. A lot of the time, Tennessee was strong in the middle eight but folded late in games. Banks had good with the bad.
Luckily, Banks will be working with one position group on the Plains and could see play-calling alongside Durkin. If he could do what he does best and allow Durkin to handle what he can't, there's no reason to think the arrangement won't work from a big-picture standpoint.
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UGA fans are accusing the SEC of an Auburn conspiracy and proving Alex Golesh has the Dawgs shook
By Andrew Hughes
Fly War Eagle
Even though the Georgia Bulldogs have won the past eight Deep South's Oldest Rivalry matchups, the Dawgs know that at some point, the Auburn Tigers will get at least one lick back. UGA fans sound fearful that 2026 could be the year.
Particularly, Dawn of the Dawg's Trevor Michael, who accused the SEC of conspiring against the Bulldogs by giving AU the bye week right before the two teams play for the second year in a row. The following is just not the words of someone who is convinced his team will continue owning this matchup.
"Could there actually be a chance that the SEC is trying to help Auburn finally beat Georgia? The Tigers have lost nine straight to Georgia, so maybe the SEC wants to see Auburn get a win in what is one of the biggest rivalries in the SEC. ... If the SEC wanted to help Auburn win there really wouldn't be much that they could do to help them without being too obvious. In fact, arranging the schedules in a certain way to benefit one team over another is about the only thing they can do," Michael wrote.
"That is exactly what the SEC did because Auburn has a bye week the week before playing Georgia while UGA does not. In fact, Georgia plays arguably their most difficult game of the season (at Alabama) one week before playing Auburn this season."
Alex Golesh is inspiring hope for the orange and blue, which means dread from opposing fan bases. Given how serious he is on the recruiting trail, and how he's explicitly promised that his legacy on the Plains won't be defined by golf, it's not unfounded. Most reasonable observers could understand that Golesh having his play-caller, quarterback, and some skill-position threats from his time with the USF Bulls makes the Tigers offense live-wire in 2026. DJ Durkin lost some elite talents, like edge-rushers Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford, and 3-technique/nose tackle Bobby Jamison-Travis, but he'll maintain his defensive identity with far less turnover than the offense.
Not for nothing, the pendulum has to swing back from UGA at some point. The Dawgs still recruit well because of Kirby Smart's presence at the helm, but Georgia isn't dominating like it did before third-party sources started buying recruits.
There are signs that the fall of the Dawgs, at least from the mythical status they've had for the past decade, could happen sooner rather than later.
Losing Auburn transfer Amaris Williams could doom the Dawgs
Perhaps losing Auburn transfer EDGE Amaris Williams to an ACL tear in April could be the kind of devastation that sets the team's mood back. Expected to anchor the defense and cause issues for opposing backfields, Williams will now miss the 2026 season.
With no extra portal window to compensate, UGA is starting the year from behind. While there will be depth to cover for it, to a degree, you wonder if the machine runs smoothly for yet another year. At some point, the law of averages has to drag the Dawgs down. Taking an emotional blow early in the offseason from losing a potential difference-maker could cast a black cloud over the Peach State this season.
The more panic seems to seep through UGA fans' words, the likelier it is that there is a real opening to finally end the Tigers' struggles in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry this season. Perhaps the Bulldogs are due for the kind of down year that the Alabama Crimson Tide had in 2024, where the CFP isn't in the cards and widespread worries about competing in this era are.
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Alex Golesh Teases New Auburn Tigers Commit
By Brooks Crew
Auburn Tigers on SI
It is starting to seem like Alex Golesh will never be satisfied with the standing of the Auburn Tigers’ 2027 recruiting class, as on Friday night, the Tigers’ head coach put out another cryptic X post that insinuates that the Tigers have landed a new commitment.
https://x.com/CoachGolesh/status/2070651150542467456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2070651150542467456%7Ctwgr%5E47fc98a4b431fc6231ef49c2be264824053fb209%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fcollege%2Fauburn%2Frecruiting%2Falex-golesh-teases-new-auburn-tigers-commit-marquis-evans
The Tigers’ 2027 class is already among the best in the nation, as it currently stands as the ninth-best class in the country, according to 247Sports. It is currently made up of nine four-star prospects and 15 three-star prospects.
So, who could Golesh’s post be referring to? A popular theory sees the Tigers landing Marquis Evans, who would be yet another top-tier pickup for the Tigers’ top-level class.
Evans is a four-star defensive lineman/edge rusher who originally hails from Spain Park in Birmingham, Ala. A clear blue-chip prospect, Evans is currently rated as the 24th-best defensive lineman in the class as well as the 10th-best player from his home state of Alabama.
As it stands, the Tigers are leading in Evans’ recruitment with a 93.7% chance, per Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine. South Carolina, Tennessee, Miami and Florida are also in the running, but each have less than a 2% chance to land Evans.
The Tigers’ 2027 class already boasts some of the best edge rushers in the country, including James Pace, a four-star, and Rion Jackson, a three-star, so Evans’ addition would serve to bolster that room beyond what many Tiger fans expected from Golesh in his first full recruiting cycle.
The Tigers lost quite a bit of depth at the edge rushing position this past offseason, as both Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford, two of the Tigers’ best, were snapped up in this year’s NFL Draft, Faulk in the first round, Crawford in the third.
For 2026, the Tigers will lean on new transfer Da’Shawn Womack, a former five-star prospect turned four-star transfer, to lead their edge rushing group. However, Womack’s eligibility is waning, so there will be room for new Tigers to step up and prove to DJ Durkin that they deserve the starting spot in the coming years.
There had been some talk that Alex Golesh was unable to recruit well in-state, but he seems to have put that narrative to bed in the past few weeks. Notably, Deshawn Hall, an Alabama-based four-star receiver, was a massive, highly improbable acquisition for the Tigers, and now the program has turned its attention to Evans.
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Auburn football's player ratings released for EA's College Football 27
By Jac Myrick
Auburn Wire
EA Sports released its official ratings for the upcoming release of EA Sports College Football 27, and gave the Auburn football team an overall rating of 83 for this year's game.
Many college football fans look forward to this time of year now since the return of the college football video games, where they get to see where their favorite teams stack up. In this year's edition of EA Sports College Football, Auburn lands at an overall rating of 83 with a 86 overall offense and 80 overall defense.
It seems the folks at EA are high on the Tigers' offensive side of the ball. The leader of the offense, quarterback Byrum Brown, is the highest-rated offensive player on the Tigers with an 89 overall. Other key players like wide receiver Keshaun Singleton and running back Jeremiah Cobb received 88 overalls.
On the defense, it seems EA is not clearly high on what DJ Durkin and crew are going to be able to do in 2026. Linebacker Xavier Atkins did come in as the Tigers' highest-rated player in the game this year, even making the top-3 in the whole game. You would expect that many on the defense have their ratings changed a good bit throughout the season updates for the game.
EA Sports' new college football game will drop on July 9, available on PlayStation, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Top-10 overall players
91 LB Xavier Atkins
89 QB Byrum Brown
88 RB Jeremiah Cobb
88 WR Keshaun Singleton
87 RB Bryson Washington
85 CB Rayshawn Pleasant
84 K Alex McPherson
84 DT Dallas Walker IV
83 DT Cody Sigler
82 DT Malik Autry
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