The 2026 college football season is quickly approaching, and the first Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll has officially been released. With the rankings now set, the Auburn Tigers know they will face five teams currently ranked among the nation’s top 25 during the upcoming season.
Auburn’s toughest challenge on the schedule comes early in SEC play, as the Tigers will travel to Athens to take on No. 3 Georgia on October 17. The matchup will mark another chapter in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. Auburn has struggled in recent trips to Sanford Stadium, with its last victory in Athens coming back in 2005. New head coach Alex Golesh will look to end that drought while chasing one of the biggest wins of his first season.
The Tigers will also face another highly ranked SEC opponent when they travel to Oxford to battle No. 9 Ole Miss on October 31. The Rebels are entering their first season under head coach Pete Golding and are expected to be one of the conference’s top contenders. With quarterback Trinidad Chambliss returning, Ole Miss enters the year with plenty of optimism and high expectations.
Auburn will then return home for a showdown against No. 11 LSU on October 24. The Tigers and Bayou Bengals will renew their rivalry at Jordan-Hare Stadium after not meeting during the 2025 season. The matchup will feature a battle between two Tiger programs, with kickoff already scheduled for 11 a.m.
The regular season will conclude with Auburn’s annual Iron Bowl matchup against Alabama. The Crimson Tide enters the season ranked No. 13 under head coach Kalen DeBoer and will host the Tigers in Tuscaloosa on November 28. Auburn has not won an Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa since 2010 and has not defeated Alabama since 2019. Golesh will have the opportunity to secure a major statement victory in his first season leading the program.
The final ranked opponent on Auburn’s schedule is No. 20 Tennessee. The Volunteers will welcome the Tigers to Knoxville on October 3, marking Auburn’s first trip to Tennessee since 2013.
Several other SEC programs that Auburn will not face this season also appeared in the preseason rankings. Texas landed at No. 5, Texas A&M came in at No. 8, Oklahoma was ranked No. 10, and Missouri rounded out the poll at No. 25.
Despite facing a challenging schedule, Auburn did not crack the preseason Top 25. However, the Tigers did receive three votes in the initial AP poll.
The complete preseason AP Top 25 rankings are:
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Texas
- Indiana
- Miami (FL)
- Texas A&M
- Ole Miss
- Oklahoma
- LSU
- Texas Tech
- Alabama
- BYU
- USC
- Michigan
- Washington
- Penn State
- SMU
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Iowa
- Houston
- Louisville
- Missouri