The Auburn Tigers dropped a game on Saturday night in Jordan-Hare Stadium which many expected them to win against Jon Sumrall and the Florida Gators.
Though the final score appeared close, it was largely non-competitive and dominated by the Gators.
During this past coach hiring cycle — the most tumultuous in some time — it looked like Auburn was going to hire Sumrall, a Huntsville native, but things changed and he wound up at Florida while the Tigers got Alex Golesh.
With the two facing off, it was always going to be a narrative no matter who won, and SEC analyst Paul Finebaum blamed the loss on Auburn AD John Cohen for fumbling the hiring of Sumrall.
Finebaum ripped Cohen during an appearance on “McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.”
"I still like Alex Golesh a lot but I blame athletic director John Cohen for this loss. This game was lost Thanksgiving Weekend of 2025 when [Cohen's] massive ego got in the way of hiring Jon Sumrall." @finebaum on @AuburnFootball loss to @GatorsFB @WJOX945 https://t.co/l77MTGAJeu pic.twitter.com/1CYaDe6XWX
— McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning (@macandcube) September 21, 2026
“I still like Alex Golesh a lot but I blame athletic director John Cohen for this loss,” Finebaum said. “This game was lost Thanksgiving Weekend of 2025 when [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….Alex Golesh has done as much as he can do, there’s still a learning curve and I am incredibly disappointed with Byrum Brown…I think Auburn can still have a decent season but any chance of a great season went down the drain on Saturday night.”
Finebaum referenced the popular theory that Cohen wanted to force the next coach to retain defensive coordinator D. J. Durkin, which some believe is what caused Sumrall to walk away. Golesh, of course, did keep Durkin, and Sumrall responded with a dismantling of Durkin’s defense to the tune of almost 500 yards as a team.
Of course, it will be years until fans really see which hires were the right ones, but it was hard not to imagine what could have been as the Gators are off to a hot start and Auburn looks like it could be in for another rough year.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
