First Look: Auburn vs. Tennessee Preview | Alex Golesh Returns to Knoxville

The Auburn Tigers football season can't come soon enough. 

As exciting as the offseason has been on the Plains with the arrival of Alex Golesh as head coach, multiple big time transfers from the portal, and the momentum growing from the upcoming 2027 recruiting class, nothing beats the opening kickoff. 

As we patiently wait for September 5 to roll around, Auburn Roundtable has launched an Offseason Opponent Preview for the Tigers upcoming season. Over the next few weeks, we will break down each one of Auburn's games on the schedule. 

Let's get to it. 

Week 5: October 3, 2026, Flex Time Window

Auburn at Tennessee

Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee

The first true road game for Alex Golesh inside the SEC comes against his former team. And with questions surrounding Tennesee's major positions it could be a huge game for the Tigers to steal away from Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Past History with Tennessee: The Tigers and Volunteers have not faced each other since 2020. During that game, Auburn defeated Tennessee 30-17 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn owns the all-time series record 29-22-3 dating back to 1900. This will be the first game in Knoxville since 2013 (Auburn 55, Tennessee 23). The Tigers have won 7 of the last 8 contests. 

Tennessee Snapshot: Over the last four years, Tennessee has won 38 games, but this year could be a problem if they don't figure out the quarterback situation. With Joey Aguilar out of eligibility, head coach Josh Heupel will have a full-on quarterback battle this fall. The competition will include Vanderbilt transfer Ryan Staub, redshirt freshman Georgia McIntyre, and 5-star recruit Faizon Brandon. If the winner is serviceable, they have the roster to make a run at the College Football Playoffs. It isn't that they could fall under 8 wins in a season for the first time since Heupel's first year in Knoxville.

Key Matchups: Beyond the looming questions surrounding the Volunteers' quarterback situation, the matchup between Auburn's new offensive line and the Tennessee pass rush will likely be a talking point leading into the game. Major transfer portal addition Chaz Coleman was medically disqualified and will not play this season, leaving a big question mark on their ability to get to the quarterback. If that becomes a weakness, Alex Golesh's fast-paced offense could have a really good game. 

Interesting Storyline to Watch: This could be a very emotional game for Alex Golesh. He was the offensive coordinator under Heupel from 2020-2022 at both UCF and Tennessee before landing the head coaching job at South Florida. 

Game Importance Ranking: When taking the 12 game schedule as a whole, this feels like the 4th most important game of the season. If Auburn can win their first true road test, it sets them up nicely for the rest of the season and potentially puts them as a contending team to battle for the top of the conference and even the College Football Playoffs at season's end. If this win is on the backend of a large winning streak, the Alex Golesh era, who would be getting some revenge against his former program, would start in a great way.

What's Next: The Auburn Tigers will stay on the road after an open week and take on the Georgia Bulldogs on October 17. 

Be sure to check out Auburn Roundtable for more Offseason Opponent Previews as well as other original content daily.