Auburn, Baylor slated for 2026 Aflac Kickoff Game

Auburn will open its 2026 season in Atlanta, taking on Baylor in the Aflac Kickoff Game, it was announced Wednesday. The game is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

This matchup finalizes the home-and-home series between the two programs after Auburn traveled to Waco in 2025. Auburn’s originally scheduled home game will now shift to Atlanta for this neutral-site showdown.

This game also comes with a new wrinkle: Auburn student-athletes will have the opportunity to participate in NIL activations tied to the event. This includes promotions for ticket sales, the game itself, and surrounding events. Peach Bowl, Inc., the organization behind the Aflac Kickoff Game, is implementing what it calls a “first-of-its-kind” NIL structure for a neutral-site college football game.

The arrangement will use third-party partners to facilitate marketing deals and appearances for Auburn athletes. They stand to benefit both financially and from the national exposure that comes with a season-opening game on a major stage.

“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 Peach Bowl COO David Epps. “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.”

Auburn Athletics Director John Cohen also helped shape the model. He emphasized that opportunities like these are part of the school’s evolving NIL approach.

“Any time we have the ability to advance Auburn student-athletes’ ability to earn third-party NIL compensation, we will take that opportunity,” Cohen said. “This is not only a win for Auburn student-athletes but for Auburn Athletics.”

The Tigers will receive an allotment of 20,645 tickets for the game. Baylor will receive 3,000, which is the SEC standard for visiting teams. The rest of the ticket inventory will be managed and sold by the Aflac Kickoff Game.

This will be Auburn’s fourth appearance in the Aflac Kickoff Game (2–1), and Baylor’s first. The all-time series between the Tigers and Bears is tied 2–2–1. Auburn took the 2025 meeting in Waco, 38–24.