The Auburn Tigers\u00a0are 2-0 after\u00a0victories over Baylor\u00a0and Southern Miss, one at a neutral site in Atlanta and the second under the lights at Jordan-Hare Stadium.<\/p>\n
While the Auburn Family brought the juice \u2014 as they always do \u2014 this past weekend, the environment on The Plains should be a whole other ballgame. The Tigers and\u00a0head coach Alex Golesh\u00a0are set to host the Florida Gators and fellow first-year man Jon Sumrall in what could be a watershed game for both teams.<\/p>\n
Both Auburn and Florida are 2-0, however, both face some very difficult schedules here moving forward, but earning a victory against a quality opponent in the SEC like this has the chance to dramatically raise the ceiling of both programs for the first year of their respective new eras.<\/p>\n
While seasons are not made or broken in week three, it does feel like this may be the biggest game the Auburn Tigers have hosted in years. In terms of program excitement,\u00a0 legitimate opportunity to get a victory against a quality opponent, and what it could mean moving forward, is as big as it gets early in a season.<\/p>\n
Golesh against Sumrall has the added intrigue of Sumrall not only being a native of the state of Alabama and former coach of Troy, but he was also a guy who most assumed was going to snag the Auburn job before he wound up at Florida instead.<\/p>\n
Each coach \u2014 whether they are willing to admit it or not \u2014 wants to prove that they were the right hire for their school, and despite the fact that neither will have their entire tenure defined by one game, it may feel that way this week.<\/p>\n
The Gators are favored by less than a field goal in a game that is expected to be a razor thin margin in front of a crowd at Jordan-Hare \u2014 bringing more noise than any other over the last few years.<\/p>\n
It should be a phenomenal evening on The Plains, and the Auburn faithful are going to do everything in their power to will their team to a win.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"