The final game of the month of September is upon the Auburn Tigers and Head Coach Alex Golesh as they look to bounce back from a loss to the Florida Gators at home.
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For the third-straight game, the Tigers will take the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium, seeking to take down the Vanderbilt Commodores for the first time since 2023.
Still with Clark Lea as their head coach, the Commodores come into the game with a 3-0 record after taking down the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Nashville 35-31.
As is the case in college football, a number of transfers have come into Vanderbilt and put on the black and gold for the first time.
Ahead of Auburn’s game against the Commodores, here are five 2026 transfers to keep an eye on when the teams take the field.
Jayvontay Conner, tight end
Previous school: East Carolina
After having some SEC experience to begin his college career at Ole Miss, Jayvontay Conner made the move to play at East Carolina and focus on his development. There, Conner became a force in the short and intermediate passing game, being a reliable choice to gain chunk yardage.
Having racked up 23 receptions for 333 yards and a touchdown in 2025, Conner proved to show potential that he could be a force. He transferred to Vanderbilt over the offseason as one of the top commitments in the 2026 class for Lea, and has already made an impact.
Conner currently holds the second-most receiving yards on the team with 126 yards on 11 catches. Already on a trajectory to surpass last year’s total, his big frame stands to be a weapon on Saturday.
Ricardo Jones, safety
Previous school: Clemson
It is safe to say that while at Clemson, Ricardo Jones made himself an impact that elevated his stock when he entered the transfer portal.
The 2025 season for Jones saw him be third among safeties on the Tigers in terms of total tackles, but it was also the stuff he did outside of tackling that made him special. Jones pulled in 39 total tackles, but also had three pass deflections and six interceptions. Those interceptions were five more than anybody else on Clemson, and 66 percent of the total interceptions the team had from the campaign.
Jones currently ranks fourth on the Commodores in total tackles with 13 to go along with two pass deflections. Testing him deep at the safety spot will be a challenge the Tigers must navigate carefully.
Lyndon Cooper, offensive lineman
Previous school: Pittsburgh
His name might not necessarily show up on the stat sheet, but Lyndon Cooper was also one of the more highly touted transfers that Vanderbilt received over the offseason.
Coming over from Pittsburgh, Cooper holds the starting center role on Lea’s offensive line and has a number of years in the Power Four, having played three seasons at North Carolina State before transferring to Pitt for the 2025 season.
Cooper put up a 71.4 overall grade last year according to Pro Football Focus and is part of what Lea believes is his best five up front on the offensive line.
Brian Allen Jr., EDGE
Previous school: Iowa
Brian Allen Jr. is listed as one of the starting edge rushers on the Comomodores defensive line, and while he has not produced the most stats in the two games he has appeared in in 2026, he has the ability to be a stout force on the outside.
Allen transferred over from Iowa, where he was a part of a defense that was in the top 10 in the nation in scoring defense, total defense, pass defense and first down defense.
Allen was listed as probable in the initial availability report for Saturday’s action, but as a true veteran will be one to watch out for if he gets an opportunity.
Tyler Ebel, punter
Previous school: South Dakota
It is not often that a punter has a chance to make a difference in a game, but when talking about Tyler Ebel, that statement becomes true.
Ebel arrived in the SEC after time at the FCS level, playing at South Dakota for the last four years. The graduate student averaged roughly 46 yards a punt in 2025, downing 18 of his 49 inside the 20-yard line. He had an even better year in 2024, when he downed 24 of his 48 punts inside the 20 as well.
The Wisconsin native has already punted 11 times in 2026, pinning the opponent deep twice. Overall, he truly shows potential to flip a field, and if needed, Vanderbilt will utilize that to its advantage.
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
