The Auburn Tigers will be a major part of the SEC's running back revolution during the 2026 College Football season.
With the transfer portal officially closed as of Friday, the sport now knows where most of its impact players will be suiting up next fall. Auburn, along with the Georgia Bulldogs (Nate Frazier), Tennessee Volunteers (DeSean Bishop), Florida Gators (Jadan Baugh), Ole Miss Rebels (Kewan Lacy), and Missouri Tigers (Ahmad Hardy), is bringing back a top rusher, with the Tigers return of Jeremiah Cobb set to give Alex Golesh, Joel Gordon, and Co. a workhorse RB1.
As Saturday Down South's Connor O'Gara notes, AU and the Texas Longhorns also nabbed top transfer portal backs to further the revolution, with the former's signing of former Baylor Bears RB Bryson Washington and Texas's flip of former NC State Wolfpack RB Hollywood Smothers from the Alabama Crimson Tide.
O'Gara feels this trend could key a renaissance for the "It Just Means More" conference during this calendar year.
"Consider that another piece of this promising 2026 outlook for SEC rushing attacks. At a time in which many are wondering where the SEC fits in this ever-changing college football landscape, perhaps there’s something to be said for the investment made at the running back position. Once upon a time, you could set your watch to a slew of SEC running backs becoming household names and entering the Heisman Trophy conversation. That hasn’t been the case recently," O'Gara wrote.
"Now, though, the stage is set for a dominant year of SEC running backs. The last time the SEC was this stacked at the position heading into a season, 2017 yielded an all-SEC College Football Playoff National Championship. That’s hardly imminent in 2026, but it’s worth noting as the SEC searches for answers to restore its dominant ways."
Auburn may have most complete offense since 2017
You can discount Golesh, Gordon, and Byrum Brown's success with the USF Bulls, but you can't question the Power 4 success of backs like Cobb and Washington. If, perhaps, reputations can be met on the Plains just once, this year might be the year Auburn's offense has life. Though the defense lost difference-makers in the trenches, in the middle, and the secondary, there's still a proven system in place and a history of strong recruiting on that side of the ball in this program.
Things could all come together under Golesh. That was said for years under Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze, and even then, that was the case. Losing close games, despite the dysfunction, is the Tigers' identity post-COVID.
It used to be winning them, despite the dysfunction. At some point, something has to give in East Central Alabama.
At least a strong running game is always what winning looked like at Auburn, so there's at least that to hang your hat on in 2026.