Auburn football earns a second-tier SEC ranking from Phil Steele

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Sports writer Phil Steele ranks Auburn No. 9 on his outlook for the SEC standings in the upcoming 2026 in his newest edition of Phil Steele's College Football Preview magazine.

The Tigers are tied ninth with South Carolina on Steele's SEC predictions for the approaching season. Auburn is entering a new era under head coach Alex Golesh after experiencing five straight losing seasons, one of the worst stretches the Tigers have ever seen.

Golesh is coming in with multiple of his former South Florida players, the biggest being his star quarterback, Byrum Brown. Though he was not on Steele's Preseason All-SEC honors, many expect Brown to be the difference maker for the Tigers' overall record.

Brown is accompanied by four of his top receivers from USF and two of his offensive linemen. The USF offense last season scored 40 points per game, and with the return of defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, it's expected that the Tigers will take a step forward.

Steele forecasts that Auburn has the pieces to finally get over the hump and end the year with a bowl appearance. The middle of the Tigers' schedule is going to be the biggest test of the season as they will hit the road to visit Tennessee, Georgia, and Ole Miss.

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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn football ranked by Phil Steele for his outlook of 2026 season

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