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Year one of the Alex Goish era down on the plains is quickly approaching and there's a new level of hype and excitement as a new era begins. And Auburn in year one will look to do something they haven't done in quite some time, that is have a winning season. If not do more than that. Before we get into everything, guys, and get into my game by game predictions, here's what our friends over at Kalshee have to say about Auburn. They give Auburn a 30% chance to go to the College Football Playoff, which I'll be honest, guys surprised me. Those were higher numbers, higher percentage chance than I expected and is higher than some other notable SEC teams out there. They do give Auburn less than a 1% chance to win the national title. Not really unexpected, but again, 30% chance to make the college football playoffs. So do with that information what you will. That being said, guys, let's pull up Auburn's schedule as again I lock in my game by game predictions for War eagle in the 2026 season starting with the Week 1 matchup against the Baylor Bears. Huge ball game by the way, on the other side for Dave Aranda, DJ Lagway takes over for Baylor at the quarterback position. We're all familiar with DJ Lagway and his fallout at Florida and I think this is a huge tone setter game out of the gate for year one of Alex Golich. Now what realistically are the expectations, right? Everything is brand new. You've got essentially a a South Florida roster on the offensive side of the football with Byron Brown taken over largely your wide receiver position is South Florida transfers. You do h have Jeremiah Cobb back at the running back position. But I think the big questions for Auburn, especially early, lie on the offensive side defensively with DJ Durkin back in the fold, which I think was one of the biggest wins of the off season for any coaching staff retaining him on staff. I think the defense is going to be just fine early and I think even to a point where you might be leaning and you probably will be leaning on the defense to win you some games early. But what do you get out of the offense out of the gate? That being said, AFLAC kickoff game there in Atlanta at Mercedes Benz. Guys, I've got Auburn getting the win here. I think they start the Alex Goelish ERA one and O again. There's going to be a lot of hype, a lot of excitement, excitement just for something new, right, because of what Hugh Freeze did and what Auburn football's been elate. Everybody's just pumped for something different. I do think it gets off to a one and o start. I think D.J. durkin specifically, I think it is a D.J. durkin Auburn defense master class. I think they're going to put DJ Lagway in a blender if you will. I think he's going to be seeing ghosts all afternoon. And guys, I watched DJ Lagway as you did all, all last season. I just, I can't trust that guy. I, I, I can't trust that guy to go out and put together a competent performance for four quarters. So give me Auburn I think a massive win and a positive start to the Alex Goish era as they move to 1 0. Then the following week the home opener against Southern Miss. Guys, this will essentially be a big celebration and welcoming to Alex Golish. Jordan Hare will be rocking. As raucous as it's been for any non conference game of late. I think ho hum Auburn takes care of business. Look for Byron Brown and company in the offensive side to use this as a momentum building type of game. I think they get the win. Move to 2 0. Not much of a problem here. That sets up the big matchup in Week 3. Alex Golish against John Sumrall. This is a matchup that we have seen before, granted at a different level but Auburn, Florida. Guys I'm really excited that this game is back on the schedule. I mean who recalls growing up with those old Auburn Florida matchups back in the mid to late 2000s when it was you know Chris Leak and Urban Meyer and you had you know, Jason Campbell and Kenny Irons and what have you on the other side there were some great games you might recall. I mean there were some game winning kicks and what have you. Either way, really happy to see this one back on the schedule. And I think guys, this is actually one of the most underrated SEC showdowns of the 2026 season. Like I think this game has the potential to be an absolute thriller. It's a night game at Jordan Hair place is going to be rocking. Alex Goish's first SEC game as the head coach of the Auburn Tigers. Ironically enough, it's the team he beat last season at South Florida, that being the Florida Gators. With that being said, I think this is a highly contested game. I think this is a close game. I think it's a thriller. I think we could look back, excuse me, and call this one of the games of the season for the sec. Unexpectedly I do think it is the Florida Gators though that spoil Alex Golish's SEC home debut. I think Florida goes in a Jordan Hare and sneaks out with a win. Guys, Florida's a team that I am really high on and I think early on, I think you're still figuring some things out offensively, right? I think Byron Brown's a really good player and I think he's dynamic. But I do think there's going to be somewhat of a transition on the offensive side moving up a level with all these new pieces. So I think you fall to two in one. I think Florida gets you in your SEC home opener. The good news is this guy's with the schedule. You got a ton of home games. Early the following week, you host the Vanderbilt Commodores on homecoming. This one's really interesting because it's a revenge spot of sorts for Auburn, right? Thank goodness Diego Pavia is no longer there. And thank goodness you no longer have Hugh Freeze because Diego Pavia, I don't know if you want to say he owned Auburn, he owned Hugh Freeze going back to his New Mexico State days when he beat him. You know, this is one where again, if you're Auburn, to have a successful year one of Alex Goish, you gotta win a football game like this. And the good news is this for Auburn, I think they will bounce back in a big way. I think Auburn gets it done. Vanderbilt's got a lot of moving pieces in their own right. You're going to ask Jared Curtis to go into Jordan Hare for an afternoon that'll probably turn into a night game late in that ball game and go win. I don't see it happening. I think Alex Golish's team bounces back the right way. I think you get the win and you move to three and one the following week. Get the month of October going, you go on the road to Rocky Top to take on the Tennessee balls. One of the toughest places to play in all of college football. Guys, I know Tennessee is a team that a lot of people are down and this is. This is one of those big swing games. Again, Kalshee gives Auburn a 30 chance to make the College Football Playoff if Auburn's going to make a run at it. This one, you could argue the Florida game as well. This is one of those swing games you need to steal, right? This is one of those swing games you need to steal. That being said, guys, I do think you drop that game. I am higher on Tennessee than most this season. Again, do I think Tennessee is going to be in the College Football Playoff? No, I do not. But I think they've got a pretty high florin or Josh Hyph, young quarterback in Faison. Brandon. Good news for them though. They are going to be at home in front of the Friendly Confines, one of the toughest places to play in the country. Good chance you're going to have to play them at night. I think it is too tall of a task. I think Tennessee's run game very well could be the difference in this one. And I think by this point Jim Knowles defensively, his system, his schemes could be clicking and could make it a rough go for Auburn. Guys, again, you're probably catching the theme here. I think it's going to be a little bit of an up and down year one for Alex Gollish. Just hang in there with me again. Thank you. Drop the Tennessee I think you are three and two after five games. Then you go into the bye week before you take on the Georgia Bulldogs. Guys, Auburn is going to beat Georgia at some point. The Deep south sold his rivalry. This is still a great rivalry, but unfortunately on the field Auburn has just had virtually no success. I mean what Kirby Smart has done, it feels like forever since Auburn has taken down Georgia. Had a great shot last year, by the way, had a great chance and of course that was a Q Freeze Master Class and How to Lose a Gettable Football game. But do does Alex Golish beat Georgia in his tenure at Auburn? I think that's actually a great question. He very well might. I don't think it's this year though. I think Georgia's stacked. I think Georgia is one of the best teams in the country. I'm extremely high on Georgia. I think Georgia is probably the SEC's best opportunity to win a national title. Yes, that includes Texas. I don't think it happens. I think if you can go into this one and give Georgia a fight, keep things close, I think that will be a positive sign of growth for this football team. But I just do not think that Auburn has the horses in the stable to go into Athens and win between the hedges. So I do think you drop that one and I think you fall to three and three. Then come the LSU Tigers to Jordan Hare. This is another one where I think a really interesting game. Everybody's high on LSU. I think LSU's a bit overrated, guys, admittedly going into kickoff. That being said, I think Lane Kiffin and company will find a way to edge you out and hand you the loss. I think Auburn drops this one. I think LSU at this point in the season, late in October, there's a lot of new pieces obviously on that roster I think by this point they're starting to click and I think just LSU's got a little bit too much for you to overcome. So you're sitting at 3 and 4 right now, losing record going into Halloween weekend and then of course the month of November. This is where I think things start to turn because if you look at the back half of the schedule, it is manageable. You can go on a little bit of a run here, right? Tough game Halloween weekend at Ole Miss. Here's the thing about this Auburn team. Here's the thing about Byron Brown, DJ Dirk and this entire group. I think you're gonna get somebody. I do. I think you're gonna pull an upset on somebody. I've got it coming in Oxford against the Ole Miss Rebels. I think you take down Ole Miss to get to 4 and 4. This kind of serves, at least at this point, the signature win of year one of Alex Golish. You take down the Rebels, guys. Ole Miss, admittedly as a team, as we get closer to kickoff, I feel less and less and less confident about the prospects of Ole Miss and what they're going to be. Still think they're going to be good, obviously, but I do think there are some serious holes there. What does the offense look like without Lane Kiff and Charlie Weiss Jr. It's an all new look. Defense, I truly, genuinely believe. Whether you think it's the, the previous game against LSU or it's at Ole Miss, I do think Auburn is going to get one of those two, let's just call it that. So if you think it's lsu, you don't think it's Ole Miss, then fine. But I do think by this point in the season, the back, say third of the season, I think Byron Brown is going to be playing his best football and I think we're going to be looking up and saying, man, he is this dynamic playmaker that we thought he could be. So I think you take down Ole Miss, you move to 4 and 4 the following week, you get the month of November going at Jordan hair against the Arkansas Razorbacks. I think you win that game. I think you moved to 5 and 4. Listen, I think it is a truly the epitome of a rebuild for Ryan Silverfield in year one. Ironically enough, the last time, or excuse me, two years ago when I was at Jordan here, my first time going to Jordan here, I witnessed a hugh freeze Auburn team lose to the Arkansas Razorbacks. I don't think that is the case here. I think Auburn gets the win, moves to 5 and 4 a game away from bowl eligibility in year one. The following weekend you go to Mississippi State. Don't sleep on this matchup. I think Mississippi State's one of the scarier teams in the SEC this year. I think Mississippi State can be a surprise team with what they have in Kamario Taylor, Fluff Bothwell, Anthony Evans on the outside. But what are they defensively? I know they brought Zach Arnett in. I don't think it'll be enough to slow down what the momentum picking up with Byron Brown and the offensive side. And I trust DJ Durkin on defense. I think Auburn gets the win. Make it three straight wins for Auburn to move to 6 and 4 and punch your ticket to bowl eligibility in year one of Alex Golis. Which guys you got to walk before you can run. I do think that'll be a successful season if you can get to a bowl game. But you know what's even better? Having a winning season for the first time in what, five years, six years, however long it's been, the following week you'll be able to do that because you get the Sanford Bulldogs at home. Auburn gets the win, moves to seven and four, guaranteeing a winning season in year one of Alex Goldish. Finally, the Iron bowl to close out the season at Alabama. I know there's a lot of questions around Kayla Boer. I totally understand it and the Iron bowl, guys. I was fortunate to see it last year at Jordan Hare. When it's at Jordan Hare, you never know what can happen. It's one of the greatest rivalries in all of college football, if not the best rivalry in all of college football. Unfortunately, when it's at Bryant Denny Stadium, at least what we've seen at this point, or at least what we've seen lately, there's not a whole lot of drama. Alabama wins. Alabama typically wins comfortably. They actually had an opportunity two years ago and. And turnovers killed them and just poor play. And again, Hugh Freeze killed him. Can Alex Golish give Alabama or scare or even better, can he win the Iron bowl in year one of his tenure? I'm gonna say no right now. I. I do think Bama gets you. I think Bama, with all the question marks they have, guys, for me, they're a college football playoff team. I still have them winning 10 games. I still have Alabama going to the college football playoffs. So I do think your season ends on a bitter note. But, guys, with that being said, as you see on the screen, if you're watching on YouTube as we pull up the graphic, guys, I've got Auburn finishing 7 and 5 overall, 4 and 5 in the SEC. And y' all tell me, I think this would be a successful season for Auburn. I think the goal, if you can have a winning season in year one of Alex Golish, if you can get to seven and five, if you can get above.500 again, I understand Auburn is a very proud program at the program that expects to compete for SEC titles and national titles. I totally get that. But when you look at what the program's been for the last half decade, again, you have to walk before you can run. Heck, you gotta crawl before you can walk. If you can have a winning season in year one, score a signature win or two, anything obviously beyond seven and five, I'd say is gravy. You get to eight and four, nine and three, you had a fantastic year. And we're talking about Alex Golish potentially as coach of the year in the sec. But I, I think it's going to be a little bit of an up and down. I think it's going to take some time for those pieces to gel on offense. I love Byron Brown at the quarterback position. He's one of those guys. He gives you a chance in every single game you play. And guys, as I look at this schedule, if you told me the Florida game is flipped, if you told me the Tennessee game is flipped, if you told me the LSU game is flipped, I would not be shocked in the slightest. I don't think you get all of those, obviously, because those teams you play are really good. Those are truly the definition of 50, 50 swing games. I feel really confident this is a 7 and 5 football team. I do think a change in leadership, a change in voice, a change in culture, and that's something I'm excited to see. How much does the culture change for Auburn this year? The culture of Auburn under Hugh Freeze was get into these big moments, have games won and truly invented new ways to lose. Auburn's going to have opportunities. When they have those opportunities, do they seize the moment or do they crumble like years past? That's going to define year one of Alex Golish because there is enough talent on this roster to go win seven or eight or heck, maybe even more. But what do you do in crunch time? What do you do in those big moments? Do you seize the moment or do you fall short like you have so many times previously? So that's my prediction. 7 and 5, 4 and 5 in the SEC. Year one of the Alex Goish era. Guys would love to get your thoughts. You agree with me, do you disagree? How do you predict Auburn to fair this season? Guys, before we get out of here really quickly, do want to tell you about our friends over at ki because as always we are brought to you by our friends at Cali. Before the season season even kicks off, everyone's making predictions. Who wins the division, who makes the playoffs, who's lifting the trophy and at season's end on CalSHI, America's number one prediction market platform, you can trade those predictions in a live market. Guys, like I mentioned, you want to place some wagers on Auburn. They got percentage chances to win, how many games they're going to win, make the playoff in the national title. They actually have the Baylor game on there, so individual games as well. They've got it all and much more on couching and on couch you're trading against beers in a live market, meaning there's no house and it's the probability changes. You can buy in and out of your position, trade the draft, pick the game and more on KI. Download the KI app, use promote SCCU to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. That's K A L S H I KI trade on anything 18 and up. Only restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Event contract trading involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Cali products are not available in all jurisdictions. Prices, values and available markets may differ from those mentioned. For more information, see CI.com SL regulatory guys once again appreciate each and every single one of you tuning in. As always, make sure you hit that like and subscribe button on YouTube. Check us out wherever you get your podcast. All across your favorite social media platforms as well as our website sec unfiltered.com you can follow me at c19 and just stay tuned to all of our content because it's content bleeding out of the eyeballs. Guys, once again, thank you all so much for tuning in. Appreciate you all have a great rest of your day. We'll talk to you all on the other side. Sam. 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