Why Auburn HC Alex Golesh Isn't Looking Too Much At Expanded CFP Rumors

As a first-year head coach in the SEC, Auburn Tigers head coach Alex Golesh understands he will need to gain experience at this level for others to listen.

He wants his football team to do the talking first, speaking to the media on Tuesday during the SEC spring meetings in Destin, Florida. At the same time, there’s been speculation about a potentially expanded College Football Playoff, moving from the 12-team format that was implemented during the 2024-25 season, to beyond that.

Although this expanded bracket is targeted at the SEC and Big 10 conferences, due to the quality of the two conferences, Golesh isn’t looking bigger picture just yet. He’s focusing on the Tigers for now.

“I’ve kind of finalized my thought process on I haven’t been in this league long enough to have an opinion on anything grander than Auburn football,” he said, “and I say that, like, humbly, in every way.”

Since the College Football Playoff was fully introduced in the 2014 season, the Tigers haven’t heard their name mentioned in the major postseason tournament at all. Auburn’s closest chance game was back in 2017 before losing in the SEC Championship to Georgia.

Being one of the top teams in the conference will be the first focus for Golesh, looking to make a statement in his first season as head coach. If that ends up being the case, and he can string along quality seasons, then he thinks his voice could be one of reason.

Until then, there’s no looking towards the postseason, in the best way possible.

“Nobody cares what I think about the College Football Playoff, and I hope, maybe at some point, some people will,” Golesh said. “When I tell you the College Football Playoff is really the last thing that I’ve thought about since I took the job at Auburn, I’ve thought about the things that we need to get done for us to be highly successful so we’re in that conversation.”

Auburn has some difficult opponents on the schedule, and perhaps if it comes out on top against notable opponents, Golesh could get that credibility moving forward. That won’t happen until results occur, but the Tigers have the chance against plenty.

From opening the schedule to Baylor, to away games against Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, with home contests against Florida and Vanderbilt early, don’t be surprised if that ends up happening.

Until then, Golesh will be the head coach and nothing else. He did mention, however, that thinking about expansion is something that he would not want the job to do in football.

Nobody cares if I think it’s 12 or 16 or 24, like every time I see something on it or read it, I’m like ‘Man, whoever is figuring this out, God bless them,’” he said. “Because, if it comes down to me figuring it out, man, I’m in the wrong career.”

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