The Auburn Tigers suffered a disappointing 38-17 loss to LSU on Saturday, but that doesn’t mean the team’s chances of finishing the season with a winning record are gone.
After upsetting No. 1 Georgia on the road, expectations surrounding Auburn increased significantly.
But the loss to LSU brought those expectations back down.
Now, with five games remaining in Alex Golesh’s first season, a 7-5 record seems like the most realistic expectation for the Tigers.
Auburn still has three winnable games remaining.
The Tigers currently sit at 4-3, with matchups against Ole Miss, Arkansas, Mississippi State, Samford, and Alabama remaining.
And while Auburn will be an underdog against Ole Miss and Alabama, the other three games present opportunities to pick up wins.
Arkansas will travel to Jordan-Hare Stadium, and that’s a game Auburn should have a legitimate chance to win.
The Tigers have already defeated Vanderbilt and Georgia this season, showing they can compete with SEC opponents.
Samford is another game Auburn should win.
But the biggest matchup remaining could be Mississippi State.
Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor has been dealing with a turf toe injury, and his potential absence would make things much easier for Auburn.
Mississippi State has struggled offensively without Taylor, and if he’s unavailable when the Tigers travel to Starkville, Auburn should have a good opportunity to pick up another SEC victory.
However, those wins aren’t guaranteed, especially considering Auburn’s struggles at home this season.
The Georgia win still matters.
Auburn’s loss to LSU was disappointing, but it shouldn’t completely change expectations for the rest of the season.
The Tigers have already picked up a victory that many didn’t expect when they defeated Georgia in Athens.
That win gave Auburn some room for error.
And while the Tigers have struggled with consistency, they’ve also shown the ability to bounce back from losses.
Auburn could certainly pull off another upset against Ole Miss or Alabama, but those shouldn’t be games the Tigers are expected to win.
A bowl appearance would be a major step forward
If Auburn can defeat Arkansas, Mississippi State and Samford, the Tigers would finish the regular season 7-5.
That would give Golesh an opportunity to win eight games in his first season with a bowl victory.
It would also provide additional practices to develop younger players like Tristan Tia and Tai Buster heading into 2027.
Auburn still has plenty of issues to correct, especially offensively and in the secondary.
But the Tigers don’t need another major upset to finish with a winning record.
They simply need to take care of the games they should have a chance to win.
