Auburn Offensive Players to Watch Against Vanderbilt

These Auburn Tigers must step up on Saturday afternoon to help Alex Golesh pick up his first SEC win as head coach.

Auburn Tigers wide receiver Keshaun Singleton (11) celebrates his touchdown catch as Auburn Tigers take on Florida Gators at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Florida Gators lead Auburn Tigers 20-17 at halftime. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Auburn Tigers may be coming off a tough loss to Florida, but they will have the opportunity to get back in the win column as soon as this Saturday, when the Vanderbilt Commodores come to town. The Tigers got off to an incredibly slow offensive start against the Gators, though, which absolutely needs to be avoided if Saturday is to end in a win.

A few key players contributed to the production–and, in some cases, lack thereof–of a Tiger offense that ended up putting 39 points on the Gators, and even though that wasn’t enough to walk away with a win, if these players show up in a big way on Saturday, the Tigers’ chances of beating the Commodores increase tenfold.

Byrum Brown - Quarterback

Sep 19, 2026; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers quarterback Byrum Brown (17) drops back to pass against the Florida Gators during the first half at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There has yet to be a week of Auburn football in which I have not listed Brown as a player to watch, but that is mostly due to the fact that he seems to be different just about every time he steps onto the field. His performance against Florida was, certainly, his best passing and rushing game yet, though he’s been pretty spotty throughout the first three games of the season.

A key aspect of Brown’s game this week will be getting early first downs and completing quick passes, two factors that the Tigers’ newest quarterback struggled with last week, especially early in the game. If Brown can keep the offense rolling while still finding chunk plays every once in a while, the Tigers’ offense should look quite strong this Saturday against the Commodores.

Jeremiah Cobb - Running Back

Sep 19, 2026; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Florida Gators linebacker Myles Graham (5) tackles Auburn Tigers running back Jeremiah Cobb (23) during the third quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This game will be a very interesting look into how Alex Golesh will be managing his running backs throughout SEC play, as after telling Auburn fans that the rush attack would be a hallmark of the Tigers’ game this year, Golesh only gave the ball to Cobb nine times throughout the Florida game.

We saw last year that when Cobb is on, he’s all the way on– he averaged 5.5 yards per carry on his way to a near-1,000-yard season–but this season, Cobb has yet to break 90 yards in a game and is averaging just 11 carries per game. If the Tigers properly utilize Cobb, their offense looks much more balanced and difficult to stop, but if he can’t find lanes for the fourth game in a row, it might be time for some tough conversations on the Plains.

Keshaun Singleton - Wide Receiver

Sep 19, 2026; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers wide receiver Keshaun Singleton (11) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Florida Gators during the second quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One could arguably include Chas Nimrod in this spot, as the two are tied in total receptions with 17, but Singleton, so far, has been able to do more with the ball on average throughout the Tigers’ matchups. Bringing in 230 yards worth of completions on 13.5 average yards per catch, Singleton is a guaranteed first down if utilized correctly. 

However, he won’t have forever to get open, as Byrum Brown was sacked seven times last week against Florida as he waited for plays to develop. I expect to see several quick passes to Singleton throughout the matchup, punctuated by a deep shot or two to really twist the dagger.

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