Auburn to Face Baylor in Atlanta to Open 2026 Season

Originally slated for Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Tigers will now host Baylor a few hours up the road at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Auburn will play Baylor in the Aflac Kickoff Game for the first time since 2018. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers have received massive news regarding the 2026 football schedule.

Auburn will now face the Baylor Bears in the 2026 Aflac Kickoff Game on Sept. 5, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., per a release. The game was originally slated for Jordan-Hare Stadium as a return game for Auburn’s home-and-home with Baylor.

Kicking off the 2026 season in Atlanta🦅
Auburn vs. Baylor | @AflacKickoff

📰: https://t.co/vqJHqm1zzF pic.twitter.com/4zrd3cclfD

— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 6, 2025

The game will mark the Tigers’ first in Atlanta since 2018, and Auburn will be making its fourth appearance in the Aflac Kickoff Game (2012, 2015 and 2018).

“Any time we have the ability to advance Auburn student-athletes’ ability to earn third-party NIL compensation, we will take that opportunity,” said Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen. “The exposure of playing on a national stage against a Power Four opponent in one of the premier neutral-site games in the country will not only benefit our student-athletes financially, but it will also enhance their brands.”

“This is not only a win for Auburn student-athletes but for Auburn Athletics,” Cohen added.

The Aflac Kickoff Game, the nation’s longest-running neutral site game, is creating a “first-of-its-kind” opportunity for student-athletes to benefit from NIL activations tied directly to ticket sales, the game itself, and surrounding events.

“As college football adapts to the new NIL world, we have to find creative ways to make sure everyone gets a win in games like these,” said David Epps, Peach Bowl, Inc. chief operating officer. “We worked in partnership with Auburn to create a new model for neutral-site games – one that moves the chains financially for the universities and student-athletes.”

On3’s Justin Hokanson reports that “the move could deliver $4-8 million in NIL towards Auburn’s efforts.” And considering the ever-changing landscape of college athletics, fans could continue to see more moves like this one in the future.

The move could deliver a $4-8M boost in NIL towards Auburn's efforts. This would allow offsets and revenue sharing savings at the same time. This type of thing could happen more often across the CFB landscape. https://t.co/gOeCHH7zyo

— Justin Hokanson (@_JHokanson) October 6, 2025

With the opener against Baylor being moved to Atlanta, the Tigers will now only host six home games in 2026 against Southern Miss, Jacksonville State, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Florida, and LSU.