ATLANTA (Oct. 6, 2025) – The Auburn Tigers and Baylor Bears will face off to open their 2026 seasons in the Aflac Kickoff Game officials announced today. The game is set to be played Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026 in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
This matchup completes the home-and-home series between the Bears and Tigers following Auburn’s trip to Waco, Texas this season. Auburn’s 2026 home game is being relocated to Atlanta for the Aflac Kickoff Game.
The nation’s longest-running neutral-site game remains on the cutting edge of college athletics with a first-of-its-kind opportunity for Auburn student-athletes to participate in name, image and likeness (NIL) activations promoting ticket sales, the Aflac Kickoff Game, and the game’s ancillary events.
In the multi-million-dollar arrangement, Peach Bowl, Inc., through the Aflac Kickoff Game, will utilize third-party entities to secure marketing assets and promotional appearances by Auburn student-athletes.
This new and unique structure is a first-of-its-kind for neutral-site game hosts.
“As college football adapts to the new NIL world, we have to find creative ways to make sure everyone gets a win in games like these,” said David Epps, Peach Bowl, Inc. chief operating officer. “We worked in partnership with Auburn to create a new model for neutral-site games – one that moves the chains financially for the universities and student-athletes.”
Epps worked closely in collaboration with Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen on the new model.
“Any time we have the ability to advance Auburn student-athletes’ ability to earn third-party NIL compensation, we will take that opportunity,” said Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen. “The exposure of playing on a national stage against a Power Four opponent in one of the premier neutral-site games in the country will not only benefit our student-athletes financially, but it will also enhance their brands. This is not only a win for Auburn student-athletes but for Auburn Athletics.”
Auburn will receive an allotment of 20,645 tickets for the game, while Baylor will receive the SEC standard 3,000 tickets held for visiting teams. The Aflac Kickoff Game will control and sell the remaining ticket inventory.
This game will mark only the sixth time Baylor and Auburn have met on the gridiron, dating back to 1954. The all-time series is currently tied 2-2-1, including a 38-24 Auburn win over the Bears in their matchup this season.
Baylor will be making its first-ever appearance in the Aflac Kickoff Game and the program’s first game played in Atlanta in 33 years after the Bears last faced off against Georgia Tech in the 1993 season.
Auburn will be making its fourth appearance in the Aflac Kickoff Game. The Tigers currently post a 2-1 record in the game after most recently defeating No. 6 Washington 21-16 in 2018, along with a 2015 victory over Louisville and a defeat to Clemson in 2012.
It will represent the SEC’s 22nd appearance in the Kickoff Game, with the conference currently boasting a 19-2 record in the game, including a 1-0 mark over Big 12 teams. Baylor will become only the second Big 12 program to play in the game after West Virginia previously faced off against Alabama to open the 2014 season.