The Auburn Tigers' 2026 slate of opponents features a lower level of quarterback play than usual. As 247Sports' Nathan King writes, there are some challenges, like the Ole Miss Rebels' Trinidad Chambliss and the Georgia Bulldogs' Gunner Stockton, who had 238 all-purpose yards and a rushing touchdown in a 20-10 UGA victory at Jordan-Hare Stadium last October. King believes the LSU Tigers' Sam Leavitt and 5-star Tennessee Volunteers freshman Faizon Brandon could also be threats.
Notably, nowhere to be found in King's list of the best players Auburn will face at every position? Auburn's Iron Bowl rival, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Head coach Kalen DeBoer and his coaching staff are still deciding on their QB competition between Austin Mack and Keelon Russell.
Now, before overdramatizing the problem too much, Russell emerged from Mullet A-Day as the top option. Russell is getting NFL comps to Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr. He may end up being the QB the Tigers need to look out for come Week 13.
Russell is a freshman, though. The team is replacing nearly the entire offensive line outside of Michael Carroll. There are many unknowns, and unlike the Nick Saban years, the incoming and rising talent isn't being projected to scare opponents.
Auburn and Alex Golesh have a chance to surpass Alabama and Kalen DeBoer
While many in Lee County were duped by Hugh Freeze, thinking the program could surpass Alabama under DeBoer, but not realizing the culture was being set by the highest-paid offensive players and not Freeze and his staff, Alex Golesh may actually be the guy who can take advantage of the never-ending post-Saban hangover in Tuscaloosa.
DeBoer's QB play is the only thing he has. The run game has fallen off, the physicality on both sides of the ball has depressingly regressed from the Gump perspective, since DeBoer believes he can win on schemes alone, and the roster isn't stacked with 5-stars like it was before the entire country was throwing checks to players.
Of course, Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson were Saban guys that DeBoer inherited. Russell and Mack are DeBoer's guys. The supposed offensive guru is finally being tested with the talent he recruited. Worst yet? He is making a lot of money on a puzzling recent extension, but he isn't inspiring the booster class to competitively spend to keep up with the Big Ten's powers or the Lone Star State's oil money-rich programs.
Golesh has an AU brand with more spending power than its Yellowhammer SEC counterpart to the northwest. The Crimson Tide is stuck with DeBoer, since Alabama might not be able to do better. Only one school in the state appears ready to compete in this new NIL/rev-share-driven landscape. Hint: it's not the one that everyone suspects was Dodger Charger-smuggling their way to the top recruits in the region year after year before pay-to-play was officially rolled out.
Now is the time to strike for Golesh and Auburn. Based on how seriously he is taking the Iron Bowl, there aren't many reasons to doubt Golesh's volition.
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