Auburn football returns to Jordan-Hare Stadium this Saturday to face the Southern Miss Golden Eagles for the first home game of the Alex Golesh era. Game day is quickly approaching, which means it is time for another installment of Auburn Wire's weekly "Behind Enemy Lines" feature, where a beat reporter covering the team Auburn plays sits down for a casual conversation about this weekend's action.
This week, Davis Wilson, Southern Miss beat writer for the Hattiesburg American, joins this week's feature ahead of the home opener. Saturday's game will mark the first time since 2018 that Auburn has faced Southern Miss, and will be the 24th meeting of all time.
One storyline to follow this week is the battle of first-year head coaches. Auburn hired
Alex Golesh last November after Hugh Freeze's firing, and the former USF Bulls head coach is ready to lead the Tigers onto the field for the first time this season. Southern Miss is led by Blake Anderson, who assumed the role of head coach of the Golden Eagles after Charles Huff left for Memphis. Anderson has made stops at Arkansas State and Utah State before settling into the role at Southern Miss ahead of the 2026 season.
What other storylines do Auburn fans need to know before Saturday? Get to know Auburn's Week 2 opponent, Southern Miss, below. Here is this week's "Behind Enemy Lines" with Davis Wilson of the Hattiesburg American.
Alex Golesh will face another first-year head coach
Southern Miss hired from within to fill the vacancy left by Charles Huff, who bolted for Memphis one season after one season in Hattiesburg. Blake Anderson has won 75 games as a head coach at the Group of Five level and is quickly building a positive reputation with the fan base.
"Blake Anderson seems like a coach that players love playing for," Wilson writes. "It's hard to tell exactly how successful he and the team will be this season, but fans and players are excited about him moving forward, even beyond this year. Obviously, the team is off to a good start, but things are going to get more difficult fast. He is establishing a strong culture, which is important for a G6 school like Southern Miss."
Grounding the rushing attack
One of the most glaring stats from Southern Miss' 49-3 win over Alcorn State last Saturday was its 317 yards gained on the ground. Wilson believes Southern Miss' run game is vital to its success, and he expects it, as well as the offensive line, to be tested in Jordan-Hare on Saturday.
"When the team is fully healthy, Southern Miss has three running backs that will play: Robert Briggs, Steven Robinson and Jamarice Wilder. Each guy gives the Golden Eagles something a little bit different in terms of running style," Wilson writes. "Also, Southern Miss' offensive line was much more physically imposing than Alcorn State's defensive line. This week's matchup with Auburn will be important in determining how that offensive line matches us against bigger and better players."
A guy who knows his way around an offense
Southern Miss' offense is led by quarterback Ethan Hampton, who has started 15 games over the last five years and has passed for 2,775 yards and 22 scores during his time at Northern Illinois, Illinois, and Southern Miss. Hampton won the starting job, but is working his way back from a preseason injury. Wilson says that Hampton is everything you want in a fifth-year quarterback.
"Ethan Hampton won the starting quarterback job because of his experience," Wilson writes. "He started for Northern Illinois when the Huskies beat Notre Dame on the road in 2024. He missed a couple of weeks during the preseason with a bone bruise on his hand, so he's still getting his accuracy back. His greatest strength right now his is leadership."
How do you stop Byrum Brown?
Moving away from Southern Miss talk, we asked Wilson which Auburn player has his attention ahead of this week's game, and he is looking no further than the Tigers' field general.
"Byrum Brown," Wilson writes. "I know he turned the ball over against Baylor, but he is a huge player and seems like a nightmare to gameplan for."
What must Southern Miss do to shock Auburn on the Plains?
Auburn football is a heavy favorite to beat Southern Miss on Saturday, but everyone can expect the Golden Eagles to give Auburn their best shot. Wilson shares what he thinks Southern Miss should do on Saturday to pull off an upset.
"Blake Anderson said his team has to be near-perfect to have a chance at winning this game, and I would agree," Wilson writes. "Southern Miss will have to limit the turnovers and penalties and capitalize on any mistake Auburn makes."
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This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Behind Enemy Lines: Auburn-Southern Miss preview with Davis Wilson
