Auburn Tigers
A Look Back at 2025
Regular Season: 5-7
SEC Record: 1-7
Notable:
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Auburn lost six one-score games in SEC play, including two in overtime.
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Despite the disappointing record, the defense finished 30th nationally in total defense and allowed the program’s fewest yards per game since 2017.
What Changed This Offseason
Key Departures:
WR: Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton Jr.
OL: Entire starting five from 2025
DL: Keldric Faulk, Keyron Crawford, Bobby Jamison-Travis
LB: Robert Woodyard Jr.
DB: Kayin Lee
HC: Hugh Freeze, fired after three seasons, 15-19 overall and 6-16 in SEC play
Auburn’s offseason turnover was significant, especially on offense. The Tigers lost their top wide receiver, their entire starting offensive line, and several key defensive pieces from a unit that kept them competitive through much of 2025.
The defensive line and cornerback spots took the biggest hits, while Hugh Freeze’s tenure ended after three uneven seasons defined largely by the inability to solve the quarterback position.
Key Additions:
QB: Byrum Brown (USF)
RB: Bryson Washington (Baylor)
WR: Chas Nimrod (USF), Keshaun Singleton (USF), Jeremiah Koger (USF)
OL: Stanton Ramil (Michigan St), Jo Simmons (JMU), Cole Best (USF), Jack Leyrer (Stanford)
DL: Da’Shawn Womack (Ole Miss)
DB: Andre Jordan Jr. (UCLA)
The most important addition is Brown, who arrives after totaling more than 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns last season at South Florida under Golesh. Singleton and Koger were the top two receiving options at USF, while Nimrod showed signs before an injury slowed him in the second half of the year.
The offensive line will be brand new, with all five projected starters coming through the portal. Two followed from USF, giving Auburn at least some familiarity in a unit that will be one of the biggest swing factors of the season.
Defensively, Womack is expected to play a major role after flashing at Ole Miss, though he has not yet handled a full SEC schedule as a featured piece. Jordan brings experience from UCLA, where he earned All-Big Ten honorable mention and saw steady playing time over three seasons.
Coaching Changes:
Head Coach: Alex Golesh takes over after rapidly rebuilding USF, where he led the Bulls to 23 wins over three seasons. Golesh has helped oversee multiple top-10 offenses, including UCF in 2020, Tennessee in 2021 and 2022, and USF in 2025.
The hire gives Auburn a clear offensive identity after years of instability. Golesh now gets a quarterback he knows, a rebuilt offensive line, and enough skill-position talent to make this one of the more interesting SEC turnarounds to watch.
Breaking Down The Offense
Key Returners:
RB: Jeremiah Cobb
Strength: Running Game
This offense should be built around the run. Cobb earned All-SEC honors last season and is the lone returning offensive starter. Washington also arrives from Baylor after a productive two-year stretch, giving Auburn another legitimate option in the backfield.
Brown adds an entirely different dimension. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season, and his ability to stress defenses with his legs should make life easier for both the offensive line and the receivers.
Biggest Question: Will the receivers and offensive line hold up against SEC competition?
Three projected starting receivers followed Golesh from USF, which gives the offense familiarity, but producing in the AAC is one thing. Winning consistently against SEC defensive backs is quite another.
The offensive line has similar uncertainty. Auburn added numbers and experience, but only a couple of starting spots seem truly settled right now. The group does not lack bodies. The question is whether it has enough top-end talent.
Neither unit currently has a clear game-breaker, but the coaching fit and rushing threat from Brown should help both groups play well enough.
Breaking Down The Defense
Key Returners:
LB: Xavier Atkins, Elijah Melendez
DB: Kaleb Harris
Defensive Coordinator: DJ Durkin, who served as interim head coach last year and was critical in retaining defensive talent.
Strength: Linebacker
Auburn’s linebacker room might be the best position group on the roster.
Atkins earned All-SEC honors last season and has a real chance to be one of the best linebackers in the country in 2026. He plays with violence, athleticism, natural instincts, and an advanced football IQ.
He is joined by Elijah Melendez and Demarcus Riddick, two more Freshman All-SEC linebackers who give Auburn rare upside at the second level. If this group stays relatively healthy, the defense should be even better than it was a year ago.
Biggest Question: Who becomes the next defensive star?
The defensive line and cornerback room were hit hard by transfers and NFL departures, and they will need some new blood to emerge.
Auburn brought in intriguing transfers, and there is young talent ready to fight for larger roles. Atkins, Melendez, and Harris should be the heartbeat of the defense, but the Tigers need new names to break through around them.
X-Factor: Byrum Brown
If Brown comes close to matching last year’s production as he transitions into the big-boy SEC, Auburn could be in line for a special season.
He has the ability to cover up some offensive concerns because of what he brings as both a passer and runner. If he excels at this level, he should also rise in draft conversations and Heisman watch lists.
That, however, brings scrutiny, which can turn to distraction. The attention will be intense from the start, whether he plays well or struggles early. If Brown does not produce against SEC defenses, the team could spiral.
Schedule Breakdown
Win total: 6.5
Over: -110
Under: -110
Most Likely Wins: vs. Southern Miss, vs. Arkansas, at Mississippi State, vs. Samford
Auburn needs to win these games if the over is going to hit. The Tigers simply cannot lose to the bottom tier of the SEC and still expect this season to meet expectations.
Toughest Stretch: at Tennessee, at Georgia, vs. LSU, at Ole Miss
The challenge here is obvious. Three of the four games are on the road, and all four opponents are capable of exposing any weakness Auburn has.
A 1-3 record through this stretch would keep the over alive. Going 2-2 would be a massive success. An 0-4 run would not technically end the bet, but it would make the climb much steeper.
Potential Swing Games: vs. Baylor, vs. Florida, vs. Vanderbilt, at Alabama
The Iron Bowl always belongs in this category. Anything can happen in that game, and Auburn may need it slightly more than Alabama from a win-total perspective.
Florida is another major test. Both programs have new head coaches, win-now expectations, and fanbases desperate for traction. That matchup should reveal which team is closer to pushing toward the top of the SEC.
Baylor and Vanderbilt matter just as much for the number. Win both, and the over is in great shape. Split or lose both, and the path gets much tighter.
Final Outlook
Auburn was better than its record last season. Anyone who watched the Texas A&M, Oklahoma, or Georgia games could see that. The Tigers were competitive almost every week, but they simply did not have enough offense to match what the defense was giving them.
That should change under Golesh.
Auburn now has a proven offensive mind, a quarterback with legitimate star potential, and a strong group of backs. The running game has a chance to be near the top of the SEC, which should help the receivers and offensive line settle in.
Defensively, the question is not whether this group can be good, but rather who becomes the next star? Durkin gives Auburn a strong coordinator, the linebacker room has top-end SEC talent, and there is enough young depth to believe this unit will finish top twenty in the nation.
The bold prediction is 9-3. That requires Auburn to go 3-1 in the swing games while also grabbing wins against Tennessee and Ole Miss.
However, if the USF transfers and other additions do not translate to SEC play, the passing game could stall. If the completely revamped offensive line struggles, Brown may be forced into too many high-risk plays, or even injury. That would put the defense back in the same position it faced last year, spending too much time on the field without enough scoring support.
Still, the over is the right bet. Auburn won five games last year with a bad offense, and this version should be noticeably better. The Tigers have four wins that should be there, Baylor and Vanderbilt are manageable, and the Iron Bowl is always a toss up.
Prediction: 9-3, Over 6.5 Wins
Up Next: Florida
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