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The pressure on Auburn athletic director John Cohen has intensified following the Tigers' narrow 44-39 defeat to the Florida Gators in their SEC opener on Saturday. The loss extends Auburn's home SEC losing streak to nearly 670 days, a drought that shows no sign of ending.
A key subplot of the game was the matchup between Alex Golesh and Jon Sumrall, a friendly rivalry made more intriguing by Sumrall's deep ties to Auburn. Sumrall, a Huntsville, Alabama native whose wife graduated from Auburn and was a member of Kappa Delta sorority, was widely considered the top candidate to replace former head coach Hugh Freeze after Freeze was fired last season. Many believed the fit was perfect given Sumrall's Alabama connections.
However, Florida swooped in just days before the Iron Bowl and hired Sumrall, leaving Cohen and Auburn to make a last-minute decision to bring in Golesh. Reports suggested Sumrall chose Florida because Cohen wanted to retain then-interim head coach DJ Durkin as defensive coordinator, though that was never confirmed.
On Monday morning, renowned college football analyst Paul Finebaum didn't hold back on a radio show with Cole Cubelic and Greg McElroy. "I still like Alex Golesh a lot, but I blame John Cohen, the athletic director, for this loss," Finebaum said. "This game was lost on Thanksgiving weekend in 2025 when John Cohen's massive ego got in the way of hiring Jon Sumrall. It should've been done, he intended to do it, every Auburn fan was expecting it."
Finebaum continued his critique, saying, "That was my thought as this game came to an end is that an athletic director cost Auburn a football game." He also praised Golesh for his efforts under difficult circumstances but criticized Auburn's quarterback play and Durkin's defense, which allowed nearly 500 yards of offense. "I thought Alex Golesh has done about as much as he could do. There's still a learning curve," Finebaum said. "I'm still incredibly disappointed in Byrum Brown, and I'm even more disappointed with DJ Durkin, which is probably the reason Sumrall didn't end up there because Cohen pushed him down his throat. I really don't understand that defense and how, at times, lackadaisical they looked in the first half of that game."
Key Analysis
Finebaum's expectations for Auburn in Year 1 under Golesh have diminished significantly after the loss to Florida, especially with a daunting schedule ahead featuring Tennessee, Georgia, LSU, and Ole Miss. "Those were my treetop observations," Finebaum said. "I think Auburn can still have a decent season, but any chance of a great season went down the drain Saturday night."