Alex Golesh's first season as the Auburn Tigers' head football coach has had soaring highs and crushing lows.
But this team needs a win against an Ole Miss squad with a very vulnerable defense to keep this promise of change going.
Auburn is 4-3 overall, with a 2-3 record in the SEC, and is now getting ready to face its fourth ranked opponent in October.
Recapping the month
The month started with a tough Tennessee team hosting on Rocky Top, which had everything to play for. The new uniforms and it being the 100th year of General Robert Neyland made the game a boss-level challenge that Auburn was unable to overcome.
After that, it was another road challenge in Athens with the No. 1-ranked team in the nation at that time. The game was a slugfest for both teams that was ultimately decided by the defense forcing Gunnar Stockton to fumble the game away. That allowed the Auburn offense to be in prime position to get into field-goal range and win off the leg of Alex McPherson.
A celebration that hasn't been felt since 2005, and it's a large feather in Alex Golesh's cap in his first year. That sparked seemingly every Auburn fan to have very high hopes going into the next weekend, with LSU coming to Jordan-Hare. We all know how that turned out. There are still some sore rearends going into this week.
Now, with just one more game on the October schedule, to have the chance to come out of that 2-2 is almost as important as beating Alabama this year.
According to the Football Database, the Ole Miss defense has been terrible in 2026, ranking near the bottom of almost all defensive stat categories in the SEC. This is a big moment for an Auburn team that really needs an offensive spark, barely managing to get Byrum Brown's passing yards over 150 in four straight weeks. Granted, for the past month, they have played three of the top defenses in the SEC as well.
What is at stake in Oxford?
What is at stake this week for Golesh? The fans' belief in change.
If he goes another week and lets play-caller Joel Gordon struggle against the SEC's worst defense, then don't be shocked when fans start to not have hope for the last few remaining games.
Even with the consolation prize of a potential bowl game, it won't feel like the season that was promised when the team brought in 13 transfers from USF.
If Auburn wins against Ole Miss, then expect the fans to get over-the-moon excited for an opportunity to go 9-3 with a faint chance at a playoff berth.
The only three things standing in the way of Auburn's 9-3 season are Ole Miss, the Iron Bowl, and themselves.
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