The Auburn Tigers carried out one of the more dramatic wins in the slate from the first week, winning with nine seconds to go on a 2-point conversion stop by safety Eric Winters just before the goal line.
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After the game, Head Coach Alex Golesh urged each of his players to be willing to be coached in the week that followed, trying to get them in a better spot from a performance perspective before a meeting with the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.
Golesh now seeks to go 2-0 as the Auburn head man, while Blake Anderson and Southern Miss look to play spoilers and pull off a big upset on the road in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The Golden Eagles made a statement with a 49-3 win over the Alcorn State Braves in Hattiesburg in their opener, notching five turnovers in the process to get to 1-0 on the year.
Heading into Saturday, the Tigers enter as a 32.5-point favorite, with the over/under being at 56.5 points. The game is set for 6:45 p.m. CST on the SEC Network.
It is now time for the Auburn Undercover staff to continue “Predicting the Script,” providing out predictions to Auburn and Southern Miss, our game of the week and more.
Current standings:
T-1. Tyler, Caleb and Ronnie (8-2)
4. Ryan (7-3)
5. Jay (5-5)
Auburn (-32.5) vs. Baylor
Tyler: Auburn
The first week of the season was simply a punch in the gut for Auburn and Alex Golesh to start the season. The Tigers seemingly did not play as well as they wanted to, sparking Golesh to send the team a message about wanting to be coached.
A week removed, I think Auburn will have a cleaner offense and provide more pressure up front on the defensive end, as the Southern Miss offense did not have a stunning game through the air against Alcorn State. The Tigers may not cover, but I like them to win big in the home opener for 2026.
Ryan: Auburn
The Tigers are simply more gifted than Southern Miss, and they have a legit home field advantage to go off of. Because of that, the offense will welcome a confidence boost for both the players and the fans as Florida looms to begin SEC play next week.
Caleb: Auburn
This should be a pleasant evening on the Plains where Alex Golesh introduces himself to the Auburn faithful with a victory.
I'd expect the offense to work out some things that weren't as clean in the opener and for the defense to continue to play at an elite level. This is not the Baylor defensive front, so the offensive line should, in theory, hold up better. Look for Jeremiah Cobb to have a big game and Byrum Brown to have his first passing touchdown for Auburn.
Give me the Tigers by a large margin, 48-13.
Jay: Auburn
Byrum Brown will have a bounce back game and possibly throw his first touchdown of the season. The offensive line will also have a bounce back game, both protecting Brown and creating holes in the run game. Jeremiah Cobb could have his first 100-yard rushing game of the season. Auburn's defense will look to have its way with the Golden Eagles offense.
Southern Miss will still present some challenges, but Defensive Coordinator DJ Durkin is confident his guys will respond after an up and down game against Baylor. This game could be close with the Tigers pulling away late, or Auburn could come right out and assert its dominance, resulting in a blowout. Either way, the Tigers will be 2-0 after Saturday night as Auburn opens SEC play next week against Florida.
Ronnie: Auburn
Last week was a punch in the gut for Auburn and Alex Golesh. The Tigers didn’t play particularly well, and Golesh made it clear afterward that this team has to respond to hard coaching. I expect a much cleaner Auburn team in the home opener, particularly on offense. The offensive line should have a better night, Byrum Brown should bounce back and the Tigers should be able to establish the run against a Southern Miss front that isn’t Baylor.
Auburn is simply more talented, has a significant home-field advantage and needs to build some confidence before SEC play begins against Florida. I expect the defense to control the game and the offense to get some things fixed, with Jeremiah Cobb having a chance for a big night and Brown throwing his first touchdown pass as a Tiger. Southern Miss may hang around for a while, but Auburn should eventually pull away.
GAME OF THE WEEK:
Texas (-1.5) vs. Ohio State
Tyler: Texas
This is simply a tough game to pick. Two teams stand across from each other in a battle of skill players. It is Arch Manning against Julian Sayin. It is Hollywood Smothers against Bo Jackson. It is Ryan Wingo against Jeremiah Smith. This game is riddled with talent, but at the end of the night, “The Eyes of Texas” are upon everyone in Austin, and just as the Longhorns pulled one out against Texas A&M in 2025, they will do the same with Ohio State.
Ryan: Ohio State
This is a rare road game against a super tough opponent where the Buckeyes get the job done. They have the best player in the country in Jeremiah Smith, who will help them handle things against Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns.
Caleb: Texas
Ohio State looked good in its opener. So did Texas.
However, Texas will be looking to avenge last season's loss—they have the weapons and home field advantage to do it. Give me Texas.
Jay: Texas
Under Steven Sarkisian, Texas has been able to get revenge on a top 10 opponent. In 2022, it lost to Alabama at home, 20-19. The next year, the Longhorns went into Bryant-Denny Stadium and won 34-24. Last year, Ohio State defended the Horseshoe, defeating Texas 14-7. Now, when the two teams met in 2005 and 2006 the roles were reversed. The Longhorns won on the road, as did the Buckeyes. Arch Manning will be the difference maker as he is not the same quarterback he was in Week 1 last year.
Ronnie: Ohio State
Ohio State has had Texas’ number the last two years, and until the Longhorns prove they can get over that hump, I’m sticking with the Buckeyes. Ohio State has plenty of firepower offensively, and Julian Sayin looked sharp in the opener. Texas being at home makes this a much tougher assignment, but in a game that should come down to a handful of plays, I trust Ohio State a little more.
Other games:
Kansas vs. Missouri (-5.5) - Sept. 11
Tyler: Missouri
Ryan: Missouri
Caleb: Missouri
Jay: Kansas
Ronnie: Missouri
Michigan vs. Oklahoma (-5.5)
Tyler: Oklahoma
Ryan: Michigan
Caleb: Oklahoma
Jay: Oklahoma
Ronnie: Oklahoma
Kentucky vs. Alabama (-10)
Tyler: Alabama
Ryan: Alabama
Caleb: Alabama
Jay: Alabama
Ronnie: Alabama
BYU (-7.5) vs. Arizona
Tyler: BYU
Ryan: BYU
Caleb: BYU
Jay: BYU
Ronnie: BYU
Minnesota vs. Mississippi State (-1.5)
Tyler: Minnesota
Ryan: Mississippi State
Caleb: Mississippi State
Jay: Minnesota
Ronnie: Mississippi State
Illinois (-5.5) vs. Duke
Tyler: Illinois
Ryan: Illinois
Caleb: Illinois
Jay: Illinois
Ronnie: Illinois
Boise State (-8.5) vs. Memphis
Tyler: Boise State
Ryan: Boise State
Caleb: Boise State
Jay: Boise State
Ronnie: Boise State
Iowa (-14) vs. Iowa State
Tyler: Iowa
Ryan: Iowa
Caleb: Iowa
Jay: Iowa
Ronnie: Iowa
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
