After the big news was released last week of one of the program’s top players being held out of the Georgia game, a new development has come that will affect the rest of the season.
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Sources confirmed to Auburn Undercover that junior linebacker Xavier Atkins is no longer with the program after having just played five games in the 2026 season.
Auburn Head Coach Alex Golesh announced in his Monday press conference at the Woltosz Football Performance Center that they did not have an update on the situation, leaving it at that with no further explanation.
“We're still working through it. We're continuing to work through it. I don't have an update right now,” Golesh said.
On Oct. 12, Golesh stated in his press conference that Atkins would be held out for the game in Athens, saying they were going to “keep it in-house in terms of anything beyond that.”
A source close to the program confirmed to Auburn Undercover during the bye week that it was extremely unlikely that Atkins would be with the program for the Georgia game, stating his future with the team remained in question.
Atkins was held out of the first quarter of the Southern Miss game in September, but came back in the game after that point. Nobody with the program indicated what the reason was for the hold-out, but Atkins’ recent suspension raised some eyebrows.
Through the first six games of the season for the Tigers, Atkins sat second on the team in total tackles, having 37 to go with three sacks and one interception.
True sophomore Elijah Melendez currently leads the team in that category with 52 tackles, which complements four sacks, five pass deflections and one interception, the final stat of which came against the Bulldogs in Athens.
Atkins has been in his second season with the program after transferring over from LSU following the 2024 season. He led the team in total tackles for the year, as well as sacks, putting up 84 and nine, respectively.
Saturday’s win at Georgia marked the first time since 2017 that Auburn had taken down the Bulldogs and the first time since 2005 that it had won in Athens. The Tigers won on a game-winning field goal from Alex McPherson.
The move of Atkins’ dismissal comes on the week that the Tigers take on the LSU Tigers, Atkins’ former team, in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The opening kick for that is slated for 11 a.m. CST on ABC.
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
