South Florida Bulls head coach Alex Golesh. Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Auburn in agreement with Alex Golesh to fill HC vacancy

By Andrew Wright | Last updated Nov 30, 2025 11:35 AM ET

Slide over Lane Kiffin, we've got other coaching carousel moves to talk about.

After their 27-20 loss to Alabama in the Iron Bowl, the Auburn Tigers have reportedly honed in on their next head coach.

Auburn in agreement on deal to hire next HC

According to ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel, Auburn and current South Florida head coach Alex Golesh are in agreement on a deal that would make Golesh the newest head coach of the Tigers.

According to Thamel, the contract will be a six-year deal with a formal announcement expected later on Sunday. According to multiple reports, Golesh is holding a team meeting with his USF players before departing for Auburn.

A new era begins on the Plains
Welcome to Auburn, @CoachGolesh

️: https://t.co/VaDxnRtL9C pic.twitter.com/SqbAS5yEJK
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) November 30, 2025

Can Alex Golesh have SEC success after South Florida success?

Golesh has been with USF since the 2023 season, compiling a record of 23-15 along with bowl wins in each of the previous two seasons. Golesh getting his team to nine wins this season was the best for South Florida since it won 10 games all the way back in 2016.

Winning in the SEC is never an easy thing to do, so it'll be quite the task for Golesh to take his success from the AAC and translate it to SEC competition. A way he may be able to do that is by taking his quarterback at USF, Byrum Brown, with him to the Plains. Brown has one season of eligibility left, and what better way to spend that than in the SEC for the final season of your college career?

Andrew Wright

Andrew "Dew" Wright graduated from Charleston Southern University with a degree in Communication Studies. He is a lifelong Chicago Cubs and Washington Commanders fan.

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