Alex Golesh will have a chance to make a great first impression in the season-opening game against Baylor on Sept. 5. Unfortunately, that game will be played in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium instead of Jordan-Hare Stadium.
And while the Tigers return home for a battle against Southern Miss in Week 2 (6:30 or 6:45 p.m. CT), Golesh and the revamped roster will witness Jordan-Hare at its best in Week 3, as Auburn’s matchup against SEC rival Florida is getting the primetime treatment with a 6 p.m. CT kickoff time on ESPN.
Auburn and Florida being a night game is right where it belongs
As many teams (and coaches, including former Alabama head coach Nick Saban) have come to realize, things get spooky when the sun goes down, and the lights come on in Jordan-Hare. Texas A&M found that out two years ago when the No. 14 Aggies were upset by the Tigers in four overtimes. And if anyone got used to the mystique of Jordan-Hare at dark, it was definitely Saban, who needed miracles in his last two visits despite having a much better team than the home side.
If Golesh and company can start off 2-0, the atmosphere for the matchup against the Gators should be electric. Wins against Baylor and Southern Miss would give Auburn fans some optimism after five straight losing seasons, and an extremely winnable game against Jon Sumrall’s squad in his first year in charge in Gainesville would go a long way in helping the Tigers reach their first bowl game since 2023.
It would be a perfect way to start the Golesh era on the Plains and would give the new players a preview of the type of atmosphere Auburn fans can bring when there is hope and excitement around the program, something that has been missing recently. Some of the best Auburn-Florida games have come under the lights at Jordan-Hare, including the 2006 game, which many describe as one of the loudest in stadium history.
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