Alex Golesh Has Auburn Football Winning Games It Used to Lose

Auburn's offense still has plenty of problems to figure out, but I think there's one area where the Tigers have made significant progress under Alex Golesh this season.

And it's something Auburn has struggled with for several years.

Finding ways to win close football games.

Following Saturday's 26-23 victory over Arkansas, Auburn improved to 5-4 overall and 4-1 in one-possession games this season.

That's a pretty significant improvement considering the Tigers finished last season with a 0-6 record in those same situations.

And while Auburn's offensive numbers haven't always been encouraging, I think the team's ability to finish close games deserves some recognition.

Because that's something we haven't consistently seen from this program in quite some time.

Saturday's performance against Arkansas was another example.

Auburn struggled offensively throughout the first half, producing just 27 yards on its first 26 plays before finally putting together a scoring drive before halftime.

The Tigers trailed 10-0 and couldn't establish any consistency offensively.

And considering how poorly Auburn played during the first half, it would've been easy for things to get away from the Tigers.

But that didn't happen.

Auburn's defense kept the game within reach, and Byrum Brown eventually found his rhythm offensively.

Brown accounted for 214 yards and all three of his touchdowns in the second half, helping Auburn overcome its early deficit.

And when the Tigers needed one final scoring drive, Brown and the offense put Alex McPherson in position to kick the game-winning field goal.

It wasn't pretty, but Auburn found a way to win.

Following the game, Golesh discussed the importance of developing that mentality within his program.

"Close wins are wins," Golesh said.

And I think that's an important point.

Auburn has already found ways to win close games against Baylor, Vanderbilt, Georgia and Arkansas this season.

Those victories haven't always come with impressive offensive performances, but the Tigers have consistently made enough plays to come away with wins.

That's a significant difference from what Auburn fans have watched over the last several seasons.

And Saturday's defensive performance deserves plenty of credit.

The Tigers recorded 12 tackles for loss and six sacks against Arkansas, while AnQuon Fegans came away with a critical interception in the second quarter.

True freshman Shadarius Toodle also made a major impact in his first collegiate appearance.

Those contributions helped Auburn stay in the game long enough for its offense to finally get things going.

And that's what winning close games requires.

Golesh also acknowledged that Auburn still has plenty of areas that need improvement.

"We're going to continue to point to finishing as a complete positive, and then we got to get right back to work and get better," Golesh said.

I agree with that approach.

Auburn can't continue struggling offensively for an entire half and expect to consistently win SEC games.

The Tigers need to establish their running game earlier, avoid unnecessary penalties, and find ways to put together more complete performances.

But that doesn't mean we should overlook the progress Auburn has already made.

The Tigers have three SEC victories this season, matching their combined total from the previous two years.

And with Mississippi State and Samford still on the schedule before the Iron Bowl, Auburn has a realistic opportunity to finish the regular season with seven wins.

That's something I think most Auburn fans would've gladly accepted entering Golesh's first season.

There's still plenty of work to do, and Auburn is far from being a finished product.

But going from 0-6 to 4-1 in one-possession games isn't something that should be ignored.

And I think it's one of the biggest reasons to believe Auburn is moving in the right direction under Golesh.