Two Auburn Matchups Ranked As Top SEC Games To Watch in 2026

Alex Golesh's group has two games that could be circled as some of the most-watched games in the SEC next season.

The Auburn Tigers face the Florida Gators on Sept. 19 in a game that will be a measuring stick for both programs. | USA TODAY Sports

The Auburn Tigers are certainly in for an interesting season under new head coach Alex Golesh, and their 13th-ranked schedule has left room for some potentially must-see matchups.

The Tigers are set to face a gauntlet of SEC teams throughout their season, and recently, On3’s Blain Crain and Jake Cone ranked two of their matchups among the best potential games in the SEC this year.

Those games include the Tigers’ week three matchup with Florida, as well as their regular season finale against Alabama. Both were also honorable mentions on the duo’s initial top-five list.

Both of these games are highly interesting for completely different reasons. After all, Florida is in quite a similar boat to Auburn right now, as they are entering their first season under a new head coach, Jon Sumrall (formerly of Tulane), while Alabama is a proven team under a third-year head coach in Kalen DeBoer.

On paper, the Florida game may appear more interesting, as the similarities between the teams almost force the narrative that the matchup will be a story of which first-year head coach is better, regardless of how the rest of the season pans out. Adding a wrinkle to this narrative is the fact that Sumrall was a top target for Auburn during its coaching search, so Golesh is almost certainly looking to prove that he was the right hire, especially compared to Sumrall.

Both teams are relying on a large number of transfers, including Georgia Tech transfer quarterback Aaron Philo on the Gators’ side and Byrum Brown, a USF transfer quarterback, on the side of the Tigers. Additionally, both teams are expected to have strong defenses, while much of their offensive efficiency remains up in the air. 

It is easy to see why the Florida game is set to be must-see SEC TV in 2026, but there is one game that, regardless of teams’ success, expectations or anything else, is always worth watching: the Iron Bowl. It is a game that defines a state, a large part of the SEC and, sometimes, the College Football Playoff, and both teams always give it more than everything they have.

As such, miracles like Jalen Milroe’s fourth-down game-winning touchdown pass three years ago, along with the Kick Six back in 2013, abound in this matchup, and fans of either team never seem to be able to exhale until the final whistle blows. 

College football is made fun by matchups such as these, so it is certainly reassuring that the Tigers, even under Golesh in year one, are expected to contend and potentially win these matchups in particular.

Sign up for our free Auburn Tigers newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X for the latest news!