Auburn Week 1 Preview
Year one of the Alex Golesh era begins Saturday afternoon as Auburn travels up I-85 to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to take on the Baylor Bears. Golesh, who was hired from South Florida after a successful stint in Tampa, inherits a talented defense in addition to a plethora of transfers he brought with him from USF on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Byrum Brown is the most important piece making the move from South Florida to Auburn, and he has the physical frame to be a dynamic playmaker in the SEC. DJ Durkin returns as defensive coordinator, and his unit will be led by linebacker Xavier Atkins. The last five years have been the worst stretch of Auburn football since the Doug Barfield era in the late 70s, but Golesh has a roster capable of pushing Auburn in the right direction in 2026.
Alabama Week 1 Preview
Kalen DeBoer enters his third season at the helm in Tuscaloosa, and his squad is arguably underrated as they start the year with a home game over East Carolina. The Crimson Tide have one of the best secondaries in all of college football, and DeBoer always has productive offenses. Leading the offense this year is sophomore phenom Keelon Russell, who is the most highly rated quarterback recruit in Alabama history. Alabama’s passing attack should be elite, but questions still remain at running back and among the offensive line. If the Tide can produce a consistent running game, they have a chance to contend for another SEC title and playoff berth.
SEC Week 1 Rankings
- Texas
- Georgia
- Ole Miss
- Alabama
- LSU
- Oklahoma
- Texas A&M
- Tennessee
- Auburn
- Florida
- South Carolina
- Missouri
- Mississippi State
- Kentucky
- Vanderbilt
- Arkansas
Week 1 Previews and Predictions
Game of the Week
Clemson at LSU (-10)
In typical Lane Kiffin fashion, the attention surrounding his program has been more about the coach and less about the actual team. Kiffin has been a headline-stealer for nearly two decades, and his move from Ole Miss to LSU has been filled with drama, and Kiffin has continued making the news for his willingness to sign players who turned pro but were cut from rosters. On the field, Kiffin has an LSU team that is capable of contending in the SEC and for a playoff spot, and they can make a big opening statement against a Clemson team with a lot more questions than answers. Prediction: LSU 31, Clemson 13.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Missouri (-54.5)
Eli Drinkwitz has built a consistent winner in Columbia, but the next hurdle for the program is beating the upper echelon teams in the league. Drinkwitz is 26-24 in SEC play since taking over the Tigers’ program, and they have the same modus operandi each season: they beat the teams in the bottom half of the league and lose to the top half of the league. This version of the Tigers doesn’t seem like it will be the one to break that mold. Prediction: Missouri 56, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 6.
UTEP at Oklahoma (-41.5)
The Sooners had a disappointing result in the playoffs last year against Alabama, but it was an overall step in the right direction for Brent Venables and his program. Now, the expectation is an even better season for the Sooners with several key starters returning. Prediction: Oklahoma 48, UTEP 10.
East Carolina at Alabama (-27.5)
Keelon Russell’s debut as a starter comes at home as the Crimson Tide take on East Carolina. There are still questions about Alabama’s personnel on both sides of the ball, but they have a little time to figure things out before the schedule toughens later this month. Prediction: Alabama 55, East Carolina 13.
Kent State at South Carolina (-35.5)
Shane Beamer needs a bounce-back year for his own job security, and he has a roster capable of making a bowl game and possibly pulling off a couple of big upsets along the way. Beamer will need at least six wins to feel confident about keeping his job. Prediction: South Carolina 48, Kent St 12.
Youngstown St at Kentucky (-23.5)
Will Stein enters his first season as head coach of Kentucky, and while this is likely to be a transitional year for the Wildcats, he has already started putting together a capable roster on the offensive side of the ball. They might struggle on the defensive side of the ball at times this year, but expect the Kentucky offense to be very productive by the end of the year. Prediction: Kentucky 44, Youngstown St 20.
Tennessee St at Georgia (-46.5)
Georgia is in the top 10 in everyone’s preseason polls, but it still feels like they are being overlooked. Texas and LSU are getting most of the attention in the SEC, but the league still runs through Athens. Gunner Stockton returns at quarterback, and the Bulldog defense will be elite at all three levels. Kirby Smart’s team will still be a factor in January. Prediction: Georgia 42, Tennessee St 0.
Texas St at Texas (-29.5)
Expectations have never been higher for Texas and Steve Sarkisian. The Longhorns have the best collection of skill players in the SEC and possibly the country, and anything short of a national title will be a disappointment for this team. At the very least, Texas should be a semifinal team that has a chance of playing for the national championship. Next week’s matchup against Ohio State will be the major litmus test for both squads. Prediction: Texas 51, Texas St 17.
Furman at Tennessee (-46.5)
True freshman Faizon Brandon was announced as the starter for Josh Heupel’s offense, and while there might be some typical freshman mistakes, he is a breakout candidate this season. The Vols aren’t expected to be a playoff team this year, but if Brandon is a star, they could challenge for a spot with their schedule. Prediction: Tennessee 52, Furman 10.
Baylor vs. Auburn (-7)
Auburn played well in the season opener a season ago before quickling fizzling out, which led to Hugh Freeze’s firing and Alex Golesh’s hiring. The Tigers have a chance to start similarly this year, and it will be up to Golesh and his staff to maintain it throughout the year and more consistently. Expect a dynamic rushing performance from the Auburn offense and for the Tiger defensive line to control the line of scrimmage against the Bears. Prediction: Auburn 34, Baylor 17.
North Arkansas at Arkansas (-40.5)
Ryan Silverfield inherits a total rebuild in Fayetteville. It’s difficult to imagine the Hogs reaching a bowl game, but a competitive product week-to-week would be a positive result in year one. Prediction: Arkansas 34, North Arkansas 10.
Missouri St at Texas A&M (-40.5)
Last year’s playoff flame out against Miami overshadowed a great season for the Aggies, and they expect to be right back in the playoff conversation with Marcel Reed under center. Prediction: Texas A&M 49, Missouri St 7.
Austin Peay at Vanderbilt (-29.5)
Diego Pavia is no longer on campus, but Clark Lea has built a program capable of competing for a bowl bid each season. It will be more challenging this year with questions at quarterback, but fans can expect a disciplined, well-coached team each week. Prediction: Vanderbilt 31, Austin Peay 3.
UL Monroe at Mississippi St (-28.5)
Perhaps the most underrated quarterback in the SEC resides in Starkville. Kamario Taylor was dynamic down the stretch last year, and if he continues to improve, Mississippi State can be a threat to pull off an upset or two. Prediction: Mississippi State 45, UL Monroe 20.
FAU at Florida (-26.5)
Jon Sumrall begins his tenure with a pair of tune-up games before the Gators have a real test at Auburn week 3, and this is a team that has the potential for a massive turnaround from last year. The matchup in Auburn on Sept 19 will be massive for both new coaches. Prediction: Florida 44, FAU 13.
Louisville at Ole Miss (-7)
Pete Golding led the Rebels to the semifinals after the abrupt departure of Lane Kiffin, and now his squad has a playoff-or-bust expectation entering Golding’s first full season at the helm. Ole Miss has two Heisman candidates in quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy, and they will have one of the best offenses in college football. The opening matchup against Louisville will be a real test, and the Cardinals are more than capable of pulling off the upset. Prediction: Ole Miss 38, Louisville 31.
