Auburn Preview Football

Auburn coach Alex Golesh and quarterback Byrum Brown share a close relationship, giving the Tigers hope for the upcoming season. Golesh, in his first year, praises Brown for his leadership and experience. Auburn, coming off a fifth consecutive losing season, starts the Golesh era against Baylor on September 5. Golesh says having Brown and other players from South Florida has put the team ahead in preparation. Auburn is on its fourth head coach in seven years and needs an offensive overhaul. The team wrapped up fall practice feeling positive about their progress and potential.

Safety Eric Winters spared Auburn from a Week 1 upset, stopping Baylor inches short of a two-point conversion with nine seconds remaining on the clock and preserving the Tigers’ 17-16 win. Quarterback Byrum Brown dodged a pile-up in the middle of the field and ran for an 11-yard touchdown with 3:21 remaining in the fourth, giving Auburn a 17-10 lead. Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway saved his best drive of the day for last, finding Gavin Freeman 27 yards downfield on a crucial fourth down and then four plays later hit Freeman again for a 5-yard touchdown. Winters then stopped tight end Matthew Klopfenstein short of the end zone on the two-point try and sealed Alex Golesh’s first victory as coach of the Tigers.

Florida has lost six consecutive games away from the friendly confines of the Swamp. It’s a skid the Gators hope to end when they open SEC play at Auburn on Saturday night. It’s a pivotal, early season game for both programs, with Florida’s Jon Sumrall and Auburn’s Alex Golesh looking for a signature win. Florida is a 2 ½-point favorite in a matchup filled with subplots. Sumrall is 0-4 against Auburn, including 0-2 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. He was on the wrong side of lopsided road losses as a Kentucky linebacker in 2004 and as a Kentucky assistant in 2020.