Alex Golesh was visibly emotional on the field during the postgame interview following his Auburn Tigers' 27-24 win over Georgia in Week 7.
Yes, you read that correctly. AU upset UGA as three-score underdogs at Sanford Stadium.
Golesh gave credit to the guys who stayed from last year and gave love to a fanbase that had started to turn on him after losses to Tennessee and Florida. Those programs upset Alabama and Texas, respectively, this week, so those losses aren't so bad, huh?
All of a sudden, Auburn is 4-2, with a win over the No. 1 team in the country -- for reference, a top-ranked Dawgs squad hasn't lost to an unranked opponent since the 1942 Deep South's Oldest Rivalry game in Columbus, Georgia -- the Tigers have a potential CFP resume.
Golesh's program made history in many ways. Penetrating Kirby Smart's impenetrable home-field advantage as a major home favorite is perhaps the most impressive.
Auburn just ended Georgia's 93-game home winning streak against unranked opponents. Smart's program had been able to handle every team dating back to a 20-17 overtime loss to South Carolina on October 12, 2019. This was the first win over the Dawgs since 2017 in any capacity.
It's been seemingly a lifetime since then. That was the last year Auburn performed up to its standards in the SEC.
Golesh has changed this program's trajectory. The most impressive part about it is how he personally took matters into his own hands.
Alex Golesh won this game for Auburn football
Golesh's USF philosophies seemed to be all over the game plan. He was unleashing Byrum Brown in the running game and taking advantage of a badly banged-up Bulldogs defense.
Not only that, but he made the decision to suspend the team's best defender, linebacker Xavier Atkins. Elijah Melendez stepped up in a major way during Atkins' absence, amassing nine tackles, a sack, and an interception. AnQuon Fegans also picked off UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton.
That personnel decision may have brought unity. The results certainly speak to that. While the Dawgs had 440 yards of total offense, key plays were made to slow down Stockton and Co.'s momentum.
Golesh also avoided a risky fourth-down play call in his own territory, clearly learning from the loss to the Volunteers two weekends ago.
Seemingly, every decision Golesh made was the right one. This was his win to own. It was Golesh's first road win in the SEC at Auburn.
Many more will come. The Tigers have a damn football coach now.
Golesh proved that singlehandedly on Saturday night in Athens.
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