Auburn's Alex Golesh era rolls on with a home date against a Southern Miss team that's basically starting from scratch. On paper, this one shouldn't be close.
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Auburn brings a proven dual-threat quarterback and a retooled offensive staff into a game against a Southern Miss roster that turned over nearly 80% of its production this offseason. That gap in continuity and talent is about as stark as it gets for a Week 2 matchup, and it should show up on the scoreboard early. Back Auburn here without much hesitation.
Southern Miss
+Fresh start under proven FBS coach Blake Anderson
+Nothing to lose, full roster reset gives freedom
−Just 22% returning production, lowest mark in FBS
−75 new players with almost no built-in chemistry
−Lost 17 players to Memphis when Huff departed
Auburn
+Byrum Brown brings 42 total touchdowns of production
+Deep backfield with Jeremiah Cobb and Bryson Washington
+Golesh imports a familiar, proven USF-style scheme
−Coming off a 5-7 season that got Freeze fired
−Lost key defensive pieces including first-rounder Keldric Faulk
−Brand-new coaching staff still installing its system
Byrum Brown is the headline act in Golesh's first season running Auburn's offense. The transfer from USF put up 3,158 passing yards and 28 touchdowns last year, adding 1,008 rushing yards and 14 more scores on the ground — a dual-threat profile that gives Golesh's USF-style scheme real teeth right out of the gate. Southern Miss, meanwhile, is rebuilding from the studs up under first-year coach Blake Anderson, and sorting out its own offense is just one piece of a much bigger puzzle.
Auburn's backfield adds another layer with Jeremiah Cobb back in the fold and Baylor transfer Bryson Washington in the mix, giving Golesh multiple ways to lean on the run while Brown settles into a new offense. The bigger swing factor might be on defense, where Auburn has to replace several key pieces, including first-round pick Keldric Faulk, against an opponent that's also completely retooled its own front seven. The market hasn't needed much time to figure out where this one leans.
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That's because Southern Miss enters the season bringing back roughly 22% of its production from a year ago — the lowest mark in the country — after former coach Charles Huff bolted for Memphis and took 17 players with him. Anderson inherited a near-total teardown, with 75 new faces on the roster and, by his own admission, an entire two-deep being rebuilt from zero.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Sep 5?vs Alcorn State—
Auburn Tigers
Sep 5?vs Baylor—
Recent form.
None of that is a knock on Anderson, who's been a rebuilder before, with prior head-coaching stints at Utah State and Arkansas State. But rosters stitched together through one offseason of the transfer portal rarely gel this early. It's also worth noting this is the first time Southern Miss has walked into Jordan-Hare since 2018, which adds a little history to what otherwise looks like a mismatch on paper.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
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Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Auburn Tigers
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Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
For Auburn, the story is less about survival and more about identity. A 6.5-win projection and a 73.9% shot at improving on last year's 5-7 finish tells you the expectation is already progress, and a home date against a team still finding its footing is exactly the kind of spot that lets Golesh install his system without much resistance. Saturday, September 12 won't tell us everything about this Auburn team, but it should tell us plenty about how fast Brown and this new-look offense can hit their stride.
