AUBURN — Blake Toppmeyer of USA TODAY ranked Alex Golesh as the No. 11 head coach in the SEC ahead of the 2026 season. Auburn hired Golesh in December 2025.

Golesh was the offensive coordinator at Tennessee in 2021 and 2022. He also served as the head coach at South Florida (USF), where USF defeated both Boise State and Florida during his tenure. Thirteen players from USF, including quarterback Byrum Brown, joined Auburn with Golesh.

Auburn has not finished a season with a winning record since 2020, when Gus Malzahn was the head coach. The team also lost six consecutive Iron Bowl games prior to the 2026 season. John Cohen is the Auburn athletic director.

Auburn will play Baylor on Sept. 5, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. This game is part of the Aflac Kickoff Game. Golesh said, "I think 60 minutes. Maybe overtime."

Under Golesh, Auburn hired 42 new staff members. D.J. Durkin is on the Auburn staff leading the defense and Jacob Bronowski runs special teams. Kodi Burns works as an assistant coach at Auburn.

Why It Matters

Toppmeyer's ranking of Golesh as the No. 11 head coach in the SEC sets expectations for the 2026 season. The ranking follows Golesh's experience as an offensive coordinator at Tennessee and as head coach at South Florida, where he achieved victories over Boise State and Florida.

The 2026 season includes the Aflac Kickoff Game against Baylor. Auburn has not posted a winning record since 2020 and lost six straight Iron Bowl games prior to 2026. Golesh has hired 42 new staff members and brought 13 players from his former team at USF.