After a win over the Arkansas Razorbacks to begin November, the Auburn Tigers have a chance to do something that they have not done since 2023 — clinch a bowl game.
Auburn hits the road for the fourth time this season to take on Mississippi State, a team that has had its fair share of struggles since losing Kamario Taylor. The Bulldogs have lost five-straight games, looking to get back on track and find a way to salvage this 2026 campaign.
It is a critical stretch for the Tigers, who are closing out four-straight weeks of early-window kickoffs.
The Auburn Undercover staff has made its predictions for Week 11 of the season. Here is the selection of 10 games for the weekend’s action.
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Current standings:
1. Caleb (63-37)
2. Tyler (62-38)
3. Ryan (60-40)
4. Ronnie (55-45)
5. Jay (48-52)
Mississippi State vs. Auburn (-2.5)
Tyler: Auburn
Like all games this season for the Auburn Tigers and Head Coach Alex Golesh, this one is about as critical as they come. The Tigers are fighting to earn a bowl bid for the first time since 2023, but they will have to do it on the road, where they have faced challenge after challenge. With some momentum on its side after a comeback victory over Arkansas, can Auburn find a way to fight through adversity again and win back-to-back games for the second time this season? It will not be easy, but I think it will.
Mississippi State has looked like a completely different team ever since Kamario Taylor first got dinged up. Now, the Bulldogs have lost five in a row and are trying to make amends after a loss to Vanderbilt. The Tigers still have Byrum Brown, who has run for more than 100 yards in three of the last five games. His ability to create and make plays outside the pocket will be what wins Auburn this game. The Tigers can then ride home from Starkville knowing they will have extended their season by at least one game.
Ryan: Auburn
These are two programs that are trending in opposite directions. The Bulldogs have been a shell of themselves without super Kamario. Winning in the SEC is hard. Winning on the road is hard.
Auburn, led by the availability and durability of its starting quarterback in Byrum Brown and his legs, wins a close one to become bowl eligible. I’ll take the Tigers on the road.
Caleb: Auburn
This game is big for both programs obviously, as one tries to clinch a bowl game and the other works to end a five-game losing streak.
However, Mississippi State is without Kamario Taylor and it looks like a completely different team without him. AJ Swann is making his third start, sure, so he may start to settle in, but I think this game comes down to which quarterback can make the most big plays.
And if it comes down to it, I think Byrum Brown is more explosive than Swann is, both with his arms and legs. Give me Auburn to notch its sixth win of the season.
Jay: Auburn
Auburn has the advantage when it comes to quarterback play. Byrum Brown has played relatively mistake-free since the bye week. If that continues, I think the Tigers should be able to have success offensively. Not to take anything away from AJ Swann, but if Auburn can pressure him like it did KJ Jackson, the Tigers stand a good chance at winning. That said, I think the Auburn does both of those things. That's why I'll take the Tigers to win in Starkville.
Ronnie: Auburn
Auburn is beginning to figure out how to win close games, and that confidence should carry over to Starkville. The Tigers have won two straight, including a comeback victory over Arkansas, and Alex Golesh's team has an opportunity to become bowl eligible in his first season. Byrum Brown's ability to extend plays and create opportunities with his legs gives Auburn an advantage against a Mississippi State defense that can be vulnerable to mobile quarterbacks. The key will be avoiding the slow starts and offensive mistakes that have forced the Tigers to play from behind too often this season.
Defensively, Auburn should be able to create problems for a Mississippi State offense that has struggled to find consistency. DJ Durkin's unit continues to make plays despite injuries, and the emergence of freshman linebacker Shadarius Toodle gives the Tigers another weapon in the front seven. If Auburn can pressure quarterback AJ Swann, limit explosive plays and win the turnover battle, the Tigers should control the game. It probably won't be pretty, but Auburn is playing with more confidence, has more to play for and should leave Starkville with its sixth win and a bowl invitation.
GAME OF THE WEEK:
Indiana (-7.5) vs. USC
Tyler: Indiana
This one feels pretty simple. USC has been up and down and up and down again throughout this season, and the team that shows up on the field is never consistent. Indiana meanwhile still shows shades of having a lot of talent despite all of the nail biters it has played in this year. Nonetheless, Curt Cignetti is still the coach of the Hoosiers and he still wins. Indiana will win because of a big play from Josh Hoover to seal it and keep a shot at playing in Indianapolis alive.
Ryan: Indiana
Right now, the Indiana Hoosiers are upset at dropping in the rankings when they were revealed on Tuesday night. USC is also super soft when it plays on the road in football weather in the Big 10. For those reasons, I’ll take Indiana to win this one at home.
Caleb: Indiana
Curt Cignetti is fired up on Twitter this week, and I'd imagine that translates to how Indiana plays this weekend. I'll take the Hoosiers at home over USC in Bloomington.
Jay: Indiana
Indiana has been the more consistent team between the two. USC has been so up and down this year and it's a cross-country matchup. For those reasons, I'll take the defending national champions to win. The Hoosiers will stay in contention for the Big Ten conference title.
Ronnie: Indiana
Indiana has established itself as one of the most complete teams in college football, and I don't see USC slowing the Hoosiers down. Curt Cignetti has built a disciplined, physical team that doesn't beat itself, and that's a problem for a USC squad that has the talent to compete with anybody but hasn't always played consistently. The Trojans are dangerous offensively and certainly capable of making this interesting, especially if Lincoln Riley can establish some balance and keep Indiana's defense guessing. But I trust Indiana more on both sides of the ball, particularly in the trenches. USC will make some plays, but the Hoosiers should control the line of scrimmage, force a couple of mistakes and pull away in the second half.
Other games:
SMU (-1.5) vs. Wake Forest
Tyler: SMU
Ryan: SMU
Caleb: SMU
Jay: SMU
Ronnie: SMU
Iowa State (-3) vs. Cincinnati
Tyler: Iowa State
Ryan: Iowa State
Caleb: Cincinnati
Jay: Iowa State
Ronnie: Iowa State
Georgia (-16.5) vs. Missouri
Tyler: Georgia
Ryan: Georgia
Caleb: Georgia
Jay: Georgia
Ronnie: Georgia
UCF (-3) vs. Arizona State
Tyler: UCF
Ryan: UCF
Caleb: UCF
Jay: UCF
Ronnie: Arizona State
Oklahoma (-1.5) vs. Ole Miss
Tyler: Ole Miss
Ryan: Oklahoma
Caleb: Ole Miss
Jay: Ole Miss
Ronnie: Oklahoma
Boise State (-14.5) vs. Oregon State
Tyler: Boise State
Ryan: Boise State
Caleb: Boise State
Jay: Boise State
Ronnie: Boise State
LSU (-4) vs. Texas
Tyler: LSU
Ryan: LSU
Caleb: LSU
Jay: LSU
Ronnie: LSU
Oklahoma State (-3.5) vs. Texas Tech
Tyler: Oklahoma State
Ryan: Oklahoma State
Caleb: Oklahoma State
Jay: Oklahoma State
Ronnie: Oklahoma State
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
