We’ve known who Auburn is playing in 2026 for a little while now. We just didn’t know when. Now we do.
The SEC announced the full schedules for all 16 member institutions on Thursday night. It was done so on a TV show only half as exhilarating as the weekly College Football Playoff rankings shows.
Let’s see what Auburn’s 2026 National Championship season looks like.
9/5: Baylor (Atlanta) – This still sticks in my craw. But we’re getting millions of dollars from it to help pay players. College football is great, isn’t it?
9/12: Southern Miss – I have a feeling at least one former Auburn coach of some kind will be on the Southern Miss staff next season.
9/19: Florida – Finally, Florida returns to the schedule. Auburn and the Gators played every year since from the end of World War 2 through the 2002 season, but have only played four times since then. Oh, and a former Auburn coaching candidate will just happen to get his first SEC game as a SEC coach at Jordan-Hare.
9/26: Vanderbilt – Unless there’s further legislation, the Pavia-less Commodores will come to Auburn as one of the Tigers’ 3 permanent opponents. And look like Vandy again.
10/3: at Tennessee – This will be Auburn’s first trip to Knoxville since 2013 when Nick Marshall, Gus, and Company won 55-23.
10/10: Bye
10/17: at Georgia – If you haven’t figured it out, the SEC has basically made Georgia the 1st half of the season rivalry game and Alabama is the 2nd half of the season rivalry game.
10/24: LSU – After a short break, the Purple Tigers return to the schedule and more importantly return to Auburn. Oh, and Kiffin is their coach.
10/31: at Ole Miss – The days of having to worry about Ole Miss more than we’re used to are likely over. Also, Auburn seems to play Ole Miss around Halloween every year. The schedulers are lazy.
11/7: Arkansas – The Hawgs on the Plains with a new coach? Not worried.
11/14: at Mississippi State – The break from the Mississippi schools is officially over. I almost forgot what Starkville smells like.
11/21: Samford – This one was not known. It replaced a game with Jacksonville State that has now been moved to 2029.
11/28: at Alabama – Beat Bama.
A few general thoughts:
- Maybe one day Greg Sankey will fix the Georgia-Alabama rotation and not make Auburn play their two biggest rivals on the road every other year. No, I don’t care that Auburn gets both at home every other year. Have us play at Georgia two years in a row like they had to do in 2012-13. Or better yet, play the Iron Bowl in Auburn in back-to-back years. That will be one small step in rectifying their 51 extra home games in the series.
- There are no back-to-back weeks on the road. At Tennessee, bye week, and at Georgia is the worst it gets.
- For some reason, the SEC hates letting Auburn play home games in October. There is actually one this season, but it’s a crime that we don’t get more football at home in the best month of the year.
- The last time Auburn played Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, and Florida in the same year was 1999.
More notes:
- 2027: Auburn will have home games against Middle Tennessee on September 4 and Austin Peay on September 18, plus a road trip to Notre Dame on September 25.
- 2028: Auburn will have home games with Georgia Southern on September 2, Notre Dame on October 28, and North Alabama on November 4.
- 2029: Season opener at Miami on September 1, along with Jacksonville State moving to September 8, and a home game with West Georgia on October 27.
- 2030: Miami visits on August 31.
- 2031: First-ever meeting with Troy on September 6.
- 2032: North Alabama returns to Jordan-Hare on October 30.
