​Auburn football has been trending downward, failing to reach a bowl game in two consecutive seasons and appearing in just a single postseason contest since the 2022 campaign. Ahead of 2026, one national voice projects this disappointing pattern to persist. Bill Bender of The Sporting News released his 2026-27 postseason predictions on Wednesday, and he did not include the Auburn Tigers in his bowl projections. Bender anticipates eleven SEC programs earning postseason bids, whether in bowls or the College Football Playoff, but Auburn is notably absent from his list.
In 2026, Alex Golesh takes the helm as Auburn’s head coach with the aim of righting the ship for a program that has dropped seven games in each of the previous five seasons. The fan base is eager for a rapid turnaround under Golesh, and even a single bowl game appearance would generate considerable excitement. The Tigers’ 2026 SEC schedule includes opponents with CFP aspirations, such as Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, and LSU, which could present both challenges and opportunities for a quick return to postseason play.
Auburn remains hopeful that Bender’s forecast will prove incorrect. If the Tigers fail to break the bowl drought, it would mark their third straight missed bowl appearance—a stretch not seen since the early 1990s when Auburn went without a bowl for four consecutive seasons from 1991 to 1994. That era included a postseason ban for the 1993 and 1994 seasons, with Auburn posting five victories in both 1991 and 1992. Additionally, the program is currently enduring a four-bowl-game losing streak dating back to their last postseason win, which came in the 2018 Music City Bowl, a 63-14 victory over Purdue to cap that season.
For ongoing Auburn updates, follow The Auburn Wire on X (Twitter) at @TheAuburnWire and like the page on Facebook to stay informed about Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor Jones on Twitter at @TaylorJones__ for coverage and analysis. This piece originally appeared on Auburn Wire, continuing coverage of Auburn football, and was published with the aim of discussing the team’s preseason bowl stand and postseason projections for 2026.