On3's J.D. PicKell sees a clear way for Auburn to beat Florida, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee – Fly War Eagle

The 2026 Auburn Tigers don't have one of their hardest schedules in recent years. While there's the unholy trifecta of the Georgia Bulldogs, LSU Tigers, and Ole Miss Rebels in October that looms like a black cloud, On3's J.D. PicKell believes Auburn could be marching into that one undefeated.
Specifically, PicKell has confidence that the Tigers could contend with teams featuring first-year starting quarterbacks, like the Florida Gators with Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr., the Vanderbilt Commodores with Blaze Berlowitz or Jared Curtis, and the Tennessee Volunteers with either Faizon Brandon or George MacIntyre.
That inexperience for DJ Durkin to take advantage of, plus Alex Golesh importing so much over from the USF Bulls, including the offensive system, play-caller, quarterbacks, linemen, and receivers, even with a running back, has many "sleeping" on Auburn's early schedule, PicKell thinks.
“I think we are sleeping, just a little bit on how frisky Auburn is positioned to be early on in their schedule. … Auburn will not have a warm-up, offensively. A lot of guys who have played together [transferred in from USF] know the system… you’re not having to work through the day one install. You’re not having to figure out the nuances of where Chas Nimrod is going to be, you already know where he’s going to be," PicKell said.
“If Auburn is able to be more together offensively and apply some pressure to the opposing first-year quarterback, advantage Auburn every single time. You give DJ Durkin a lead to play with, against a first-year starting quarterback, okay. Advantage DJ Durkin.”
5-0 is not that hard to envision. While Florida transfer QB DJ Lagway is taking the offensive reins with the Baylor Bears, Dave Aranda's defense is still not expected to live up to the hype. The Tigers should be able to outpace the Bears if Auburn's defense doesn't take too many steps back after the losses of EDGE duo Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford, plus linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. It's not an ideal home-field advantage in Atlanta, but Mercedes-Benz Stadium should sound like a Tigers den.
After that, it's a non-conference cupcake against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles, who lost Charles Huff to the Memphis Tigers in the offseason and shouldn't be much of a threat, followed by the aforementioned young-QB-led SEC squads.
Traveling to Rocky Top with the bye week and the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry Game looming afterwards is the toughest challenge of that bunch. Get past that, and win two of three against UGA, LSU, and Ole Miss, and all of a sudden November opens up.
The Arkansas Razorbacks and Mississippi State Bulldogs are favorable to basically every SEC team, while the Samford Bulldogs will be a warm-up for the Iron Bowl. Golesh has been zoned in on that Iron Bowl. If the schedule shakes out as I have described and a 10-win season is on the line against the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa during rivalry week, well, then this program will have found the most exciting possible path to the CFP.
It seems clear as day right now, with a lot of breaks going Auburn's way. Let's hope Golesh's squad sees the vision and follows it to this conclusion.
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