The Auburn Tigers' fanbase is begging for a winning record. That's all Alex Golesh has to deliver in his first season to be in the good graces of the Auburn family. The thing is, though, the Tigers would then have championship expectations the following year. Having won it all to start the last decade and producing consistently respectable football throughout the 2010s, minus a notable down year in 2012, Auburn has a championship expectation built into its ethos.
Golesh believes he can win a title at AU at some point. USA Today's Blake Toppmeyer doesn't, citing built-in spending advantages for schools like the Ohio State University and the University of Texas at Austin in the NIL/rev-share realm. The Buckeyes and Longhorns have been the top revenue-earners over the past five years, often alternating in winning the crown.
Per Toppmeyer, "...I don’t expect Auburn to keep up dollar-for-dollar with the likes of Ohio State, Texas and other top spenders, Auburn’s investment is strong enough to expect much more than the 27-35 record Harsin and Freeze combined to produce. Would I predict Golesh will deliver a national championship? No, but I’d say that for a lot of his SEC peers, too."
Toppmeyer believes a potential Iron Bowl upset, something Golesh is gunning for hard, is possible, though maybe not in 2026. Overall, optimism is somewhat high, though Toppmeyer's doubting the Tigers' spending, and ultimately, their championship ceiling, is a bummer.
That's just one writer's opinion, though. Spending doesn't always translate to winning. Sometimes, the right combination, not the most expensive one, can still lead to something great.
Auburn can outperform spending and make a run, just like many Power 4 teams with the right mix
The Texas A&M Aggies and Texas Tech Red Raiders were two of the biggest spenders during the 2025 season, and the two Lone Star State schools came away with three points during the CFP between them.
Meanwhile, the TCU Horned Frogs laid the groundwork for what a first-year head coach can accomplish with a strong transfer portal haul during the 2022/2023 CFP, knocking off a much more expensive Michigan Wolverines en route to a title game berth.
The Indiana Hoosiers took that a step further this past season, winning the whole kit and kaboodle with a much cheaper roster than teams they beat on the way, like the Miami Hurricanes and Oregon Ducks.
Auburn shouldn't be counted out on money alone. In fact, there could be an offseason one day when the Tigers surprise some people, unleashing Jimmy Rane's wallet on a portal class. Auburn won't be an NIL/rev-share player every year, but the Tigers are far from lacking on resources.
Still, even during the low-payroll years, Golesh could get more than what AU paid for and do great things. The precedent has already been set that it's possible at lesser historical football institutions.
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