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Learn more at AlabamaBlue.com/Happy Tackle every play with confidence.4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 5 ...............................................................................................2026 Schedule 6 ..........................................................................................Scouting Auburn 8.....................................................................................Scouting Tennessee 10 .............................................................................................Auburn Roster 12........................................................................................Tennessee Roster 14 ...........................................................Opponent Outlook: Tennessee 16 ...............................................................................................Depth Charts 18 ........................................................................................Stat Comparison 20 .....................................................................................Auburn Traditions 22-24 ......................................................Nimrod Returns to Rocky Top 28-30 ..............................................................Head Coach Alex Golesh 32-36 .............................................................................Assistant Coaches 38 ..........................................................................The Auburn Experience 40 ....................................................................................Auburn University 42 .......................................................................................Board of Trustees 44 .....................................................President Christopher B. Roberts 46 .....................................................Director of Athletics John Cohen 48 .............................................................Through the Lens: Vanderbilt 50 ............................................................New Treatment, New Promise 52 ..........................................................2026 Gameday Enhancements 54 ..................................................................Jordan-Hare Stadium Map 56-57 ....................................................................................Gameday Map 60 ......................................................................Heisman Trophy Winners 62 ..............................................................................................All-Americans 64 .................................................................................................Rank + Rally 66 ................................................................Postseason Trophy Winners 68-69 ...............................................................................Tigers in the NFL 72 .......................................................................National Championships 74 .....................................................Auburn Football: By the Numbers 76 ............................Marching Band, Cheerleaders and Tiger Paws 78-90 .........................................................................2026 Auburn Tigers 92 .........................................................................................The Auburn App 94 ................................................................................Undefeated Seasons 96 ..............................................................................................Auburn Today 99 ............................................................................................Spirit of Giving 101 ...............................................................................2026 SEC Schedule 103-104 .........................................................Auburn Sports Properties COVER: ..................................................................................Chas Nimrod TABLE OF CONTENTS AUBURNTIGERS.COM2026 AUBURN SCHEDULE 5 AUBURNTIGERS.COM 9.5 Baylor Atlanta, GA Mercedes-Benz Stadium 9.19 Florida Auburn, AL Jordan-Hare Stadium 10.31 Ole Miss Oxford, MS Vaught-Hemingway Stadium 9.12 Southern Miss Auburn, AL Jordan-Hare Stadium 10.24 LSU Auburn, AL Jordan-Hare Stadium 10.17 Georgia Athens, GA Sanford Stadium 9.26 Vanderbilt Auburn, AL Jordan-Hare Stadium 11.7 Arkansas Auburn, AL Jordan-Hare Stadium 10.3 Tennessee Knoxville, TN Neyland Stadium 11.14 Mississippi State Starkville, MS Davis Wade Stadium 11.21 Samford Auburn, AL Jordan-Hare Stadium 11.28 Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Bryant-Denny Stadium Blue - Home | Orange - Away | Gray - Neutral 2026 AUBURN SCHEDULE6 SCOUTING AUBURN HEAD COACH Alex Golesh (Ohio State, 2006) Auburn Record .................................................................3-1 (1st Season) Career Record .......................................................256-16 (4th Season) vs. Tennessee ............................................................................................0-0 AUBURN (3-1, 1-1) Sept. 5 ............................vs. Baylor .................................................W, 17-16 Sept. 12 ..........................SOUTHERN MISS ..............................W, 43-8 Sept. 19 ..........................FLORIDA ...............................................L, 39-44 Sept. 26 .........................VANDERBILT ......................................W, 21-15 Oct. 3 ..............................at #14 Tennessee .............................2:30 p.m. Oct. 17 ............................at #2 Georgia ..................................Afternoon Oct. 24 ...........................#10 LSU ......................................................11 a.m. Oct. 31 ............................at #4 Ole Miss ............................................Early Nov. 7 ..............................ARKANSAS .................................................Early Nov. 14 ............................at #24 Mississippi State .........................Early Nov. 21 ............................SAMFORD ..........................................2:30 p.m. Nov. 28 ...........................at #8 Alabama .............................................Flex STORY LINES n Auburn leads the all-time series against Tennessee, 29-22- 3, but trails in Knoxville, 10-14-2. n Saturday’s game marks the first between the two teams in Neyland Stadium since 2013, a 55-23 Auburn win. n The Tigers have won seven of the last eight games against the Volunteers, including three straight road games dating back to 2004 by a combined score of 115-55. n Auburn is 10-9-2 all-time against ranked Tennessee teams, including 3-7-1 in Knoxville. n The team is looking for its first SEC road-opening win since defeating LSU 24-19 in Baton Rouge in 2021. n Head coach Alex Golesh is looking to become the fifth coach in program history to win his SEC road debut. With a win, he would become Auburn’s first coach to win his SEC road debut vs. a ranked opponent. n Auburn’s 21-15 win vs. Vanderbilt was its second one- possession win this season, matching the total from the previous three seasons combined (2-12). n Special teams blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown versus Vanderbilt, making Auburn one of 14 FBS programs with an offensive, defensive and special teams touchdown through four games this season. n Byrum Brown accounted for two touchdowns against Vanderbilt - one passing, one rushing - and has now accounted for 103 touchdowns in his career, 10 more than any other active FBS player. n The contest marked the 20th of his career in which he has thrown and rushed for at least one score, including his second straight. His 20 such games are the most among active FBS players. n Chas Nimrod and Keshaun Singleton are tied for fifth in the league with 22 receptions. Auburn is the only team in the league with multiple players with 22 or more receptions. n Xavier Atkins has multiple tackles for loss in three of four games this season, including a season-high 3.0 TFL in the win versus Vanderbilt. His 24.0 TFL since the beginning of 2025 are tied for the national lead. n With 8.0 TFL against the Commodores, Auburn’s 23.0 TFL against power four opponents (Baylor - 8.0, Florida - 7.0, Vanderbilt - 8.0) are the second most in the league behind Texas (25.0). n In three seasons and 28 games under defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, Auburn is allowing 21.0 points per game and 111.2 rushing yards per game. The Tigers have allowed the fifth fewest yards per carry (3.0) and eighth fewest rushing yards (3,113) in FBS during the span, both good for second in the SEC. n Auburn’s power conference opponents are a combined 10-2 this season - Baylor (3-1), Florida (4-0), Vanderbilt (3-1) - with both losses coming against the Tigers. n Saturday’s game starts a stretch of four straight against teams currently ranked in the top 20 of the AP poll. SCOUTING AUBURN AUBURNTIGERS.COM Xavier Atkins Rookie move: Not checking the propane tank gauge first before the tailgate. Pro move: Checking Allstate first so you could save hundreds. PROUD PARTNER Potential savings vary. Subject to terms, conditions, & availability. Allstate Ins. Co. & affiliates: Northbrook, IL8 SCOUTING TENNESSEE HEAD COACH Josh Heupel (Oklahoma, 2001) Tennessee Record ...................................................48-21 (6th Season) Career Record ..........................................................76-29 (9th Season) vs. Auburn ..................................................................................................0-0 TENNESSEE (3-1, 0-1) Sept. 5 ..............................FURMAN ................................................W, 56-9 Sept. 12 ............................at Georgia Tech ..................................W, 45-24 Sept. 19 ............................KENNESAW STATE ............................W, 42-9 Sept. 26 ...........................#1 TEXAS .................................................L, 17-20 Oct. 3 ................................AUBURN ...............................................2:30 p.m. Oct. 10 .............................at Arkansas .............................................3:15 p.m. Oct. 17 ..............................#7 ALABAMA ................................................Flex Oct. 24 .............................at South Caroline ............................Afternoon Nov. 7 ................................#24 KENTUCKY .......................................Night Nov. 14 .............................at Texas A&M ..................................................Flex Nov. 21 ..............................#11 LSU ..............................................................Flex Nov. 28 ............................at Vanderbilt ................................................Night STORY LINES n No. 17/17 Tennessee closes a three-game homestand by welcoming Auburn to Neyland Stadium for the first time since 2013. Neyland Stadium is sold out for the 31st consecutive game, a streak that dates back to 2022. The Vols will don their “Neyland Legacy” Smokey Grey adidas uniforms. Sept. 25, 2026, marked the 100-year anniversary of Gen. Robert Neyland’s first game as head coach at Tennessee, and the Vols continue to honor him this season. n Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel will square off against former Vols offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Alex Golesh, who is in his first season as head coach at Auburn. Golesh was a 2022 Broyles Award finalist at Tennessee and worked under Heupel from 2021-22 (Tennessee) and 2020 (UCF). This is the first time that Tennessee and Auburn meet in any game since the 2020 COVID-shortened season. The Vols are looking to snap a three-game SEC home losing streak that dates back to last season (#18 Oklahoma, #12 Vanderbilt, #1 Texas). Auburn is off to a 3-1 start and is playing its first true road game of the year. n A last second Hail Mary heave was incomplete as Tennessee came up short against No. 1 Texas, 20-17, last Saturday in Neyland Stadium that featured United States President Donald J. Trump in attendance. Quarterback Faizon Brandon connected with wide receiver Mike Matthews on a 30-yard touchdown pass with 1:22 left in the fourth quarter, culminating a 10-play, 80-yard drive. Jackson Ross’ onside kick was then recovered by linebacker Arion Carter, giving the Vols one final chance. n Josh Heupel is in his sixth season at the helm and is the longest tenured UT coach since Phillip Fulmer coached from the end of 1992 through 2008. Since taking over a program that was 3-7 prior to his arrival, Heupel owns a 48- 21 record, 11 victories over Top 25 teams, two New Year’s Six berths and a College Football Playoff berth. Heupel’s .696 winning percentage is the second-highest by a Vol coach in the last five decades. n This is Heupel’s ninth season as an FBS head coach, and his 76 victories since the start of the 2018 season are tied for fifth nationally among active FBS head coaches. With his next win, Heupel would tie College Football Hall of Famer Bowden Wyatt for fifth in UT all-time wins. Wyatt was 49-29-4. n Josh Heupel has lost back-to-back games only four times as a head coach in his nine seasons. He owns a 19-4 record following a loss in the same season, including a 14-3 mark at Tennessee and a 5-1 record at UCF. The Vols have not lost back-to-back home games since 2021, Heupel’s first season. n Tennessee’s defense is thriving with Penn State transfers helping lead the way under new coordinator Jim Knowles. Defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam has been a monster, racking up 7.5 tackles for loss (3rd in SEC), four sacks (4th in SEC) and three QB hurries. Linebacker Amare Campbell is second on the team in tackles with 22, including three TFLs. Safety Dejuan Lane has a team-high three passes defended (2 PBU, 1 INT). n The 19.0 sacks by Tennessee this season is tied for first in both the SEC and nation (LSU, 19). n Tennessee has produced 38 games with 200 rushing yards in the Josh Heupel era and own a 36-2 record when hitting that mark. n Two Volunteers are averaging over 65.0 yards per game rushing (DeSean Bishop 80.0-7th, Daune Morris 66.8-10th). Tennessee is one of just two SEC schools to hit the milestone. n Tennessee’s 34.0 tackles for loss this season leads the SEC and is fifth in the nation. SCOUTING TENNESSEE AUBURNTIGERS.COM DeSean BishopNext >