The Auburn Observer

Justin and Dan break down what’s gone wrong for Auburn after another lopsided loss and look ahead to what must happen in November. Topics for this episode include:

* Auburn’s defense being the opposite of clutch on third downs and in the red zone

* how the Tigers failed to run the ball again — and how it’s officially a “you problem”

* what is the defensive identity in Year 3 under DJ Durkin?

* the multiple reasons Auburn failed to affect Trinidad Chambliss

* penalties, critical mistakes and other self-inflicted wounds on all three sides

* why it’s not just one thing wrong with this Auburn offense

* you better hope that fourth quarter was just conditional surrender

* the potential turnaround in November — as well as the pitfalls

* a big-picture question about talent evaluation and what must come next

* a quick look at Auburn basketball’s season-opening opponent

* gelato

* The Dan Peck Bowl on Monday night in women’s basketball

* early scouting on Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches

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Justin and Dan break down what Auburn football needs to do to pull off another big road upset when it heads to Ole Miss. Topics for this subscribers-only episode include:

* one last whack at the pinata

* both sides of the chocolate coin

* what another massive road upset could mean for Auburn

* the importance of keeping the game close early

* position groups for Auburn that need to rise from the dead on Halloween

* “Byrum Brown is The Thing”

* Trinidad’s unique set of skills

* why Auburn’s offense can succeed against Ole Miss

* gigantic news at the end of the show

* apologies in advance to The Cult

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Justin and Dan break down all that went wrong for Auburn in a lopsided loss to LSU in its return home to Jordan-Hare Stadium. Topics for this episode include:

* an electric crowd gets unplugged

* how the tables turned so quickly

* early signs of trouble

* a lack of answers

* the consequences of consistently coming up short in the biggest home games of the season

* evaluating where Auburn needs to improve (and how they can do it)

* the preferred nomenclature of Southeastern Louisiana University

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Justin and Dan break down what they think will matter the most in Auburn’s return home to face LSU in a huge SEC showdown. Topics for this subscribers-only episode include:

* a winning streak?

* the role that turnovers played in the win over UGA

* the challenge of putting last week in the rearview mirror

* why Auburn can win this game at the line of scrimmage

* Byrum Brown (and Joel Gordon) serving their critics some humble pie

* will Auburn revert to its pre-UGA run defense?

* progress on the offensive line?

* rattling Sam Leavitt’s cage

* theme songs for closers

* family-friendly (and not so friendly) horror movies

* Halloween-themed MST3K talk for the real sickos

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Friends of the Program is a freewheeling discussion among three Auburn fans. Their thoughts and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of Observer management, and some language might not be suitable for all listeners. Enjoy.

The boys reconvene to share their thoughts on Auburn’s win at Georgia, the …

Justin and Dan go long on one of the biggest Auburn football wins in a very long time: An upset over No. 1 rival Georgia in Athens. Topics for this episode include:

* they decided not to cancel the season after two losses!

* the historical context of the upset

* why this all feels so different — and yet so familiar

* Auburn believing in itself for all 60 minutes

* Byrum Brown out-performing Gunner Stockton in his own stadium

* the Tigers playing clean football and taking advantage of mistakes for a change

* Elijah Melendez and Bryce Deas turning into the Super Mario Bros

* Auburn fighting back in a huge way in run defense without Xavier Atkins

* how the Tigers blocked their tails off, across the board

* The Alex McPherson Story

* give those Group of Five receivers their due!

* could we have seen this coming earlier?

* MIDDLE EIGHT ALERT

* “So you can see You Can See Everything”

* Grubserver: Athens Weekend Edition

* Justin and Dan give their top four barbecue sides

* yes, this episode is two hours long

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In a Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry tradition, Jordan Hill of Dawgs247 is here to preview Auburn at Georgia with Justin and Dan. Topics for this subscribers-only episode include:

* the importance of a fast start

* turnovers

* potential vulnerabilities in Georgia’s lineup

* “The only way out is through”

* how Auburn’s run defense responds after getting hatcheted in Knoxville

* screens and draws

* Georgia’s secret weapon: depth

* Mabsolutely

* a little bonus Grubserver chatter

* Dan and Jordan review the 1985 film Witness

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Justin and Dan go through their annual position-by-position breakdown of the Auburn basketball roster before the season gets rolling. Topics for this episode include:

* the preseason SEC outlook

* what is at stake for the Tigers in 2026-2027

* “Overton and Pettiford” sounds like a singer-songwriter duo

* “Le Croque Monstre”

* Lobburn?

* “He goes like…

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Justin and Dan break down Auburn football’s loss at Tennessee and takes a look at what could conceivably change during the off week. Topics for this episode include:

* the distance between here and there

* knowing what you can’t do

* surprising defensive problems

* how offensive lines get better over time

* precision

* outsmarting yourself

* Omar’s here

* 1990s & 2000s alternative rock

* the Orthodox SEC

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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit https://www.auburnobserver.com/subscribe

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Justin and Dan break down Auburn’s first shot at an upset in this challenging October slate: The first trip to Tennessee since 2013. Topics for this subscribers-only episode include:

* hackers

* rushing the passer without blitzing

* running a “let ‘er rip” offense

* why a slow start is a recipe for disaster

* Auburn’s secondary

* the baby bulls on Auburn’s offensive line

* why this feels like a game where special teams could really matter

* the oeuvre of Weird Al Yankovic

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Justin and Dan break down Auburn football finding a way to get a rare SEC home win before heading into a daunting October stretch. Topics for this episode include:

* the last time Auburn won an SEC game at home in regulation

* winning at the line of scrimmage

* massive contributions from special teams

* The X(avier Atkins) Factor

* avoiding second-and-long

* power hitters in Auburn’s lineup

* pushing a big “let ‘er rip” button

* desperation

* “Pass the DDP”

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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit https://www.auburnobserver.com/subscribe

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Justin and Dan preview what has become a very critical early-season test for the Tigers as the Commodores come to town. Topics for this subscribers-only episode include:

* there’s still time… for now

* does Auburn need a bigger boat?

* how will the defense respond?

* the high cost of a slow start for the offense

* where Byrum Brown needs to improve (and how his teammates and coaches can help)

* why 3rd and long simply can’t be an issue for the defense

* the treacherous road ahead

* Johni Broome: come talk movies with us

* the best TV shows of the 2000s

* Dan went to Dumb Starbucks???

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Justin and Dan tackle all the angles of what went wrong for Auburn against Florida in another missed opportunity at home. Topics for this episode include:

* the “deflating” distance between these two programs

* it’s not just one thing on defense, it’s a lot of things

* insufficient funds on money downs

* a confident performance by Florida’s offense

* can Auburn’s secondary board up the windows and batten down the hatches?

* offense: good, bad, and ugly

* how long will fans keep providing this atmosphere?

* a champagne glass full of swamp water

* an “existential” Vanderbilt game

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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit https://www.auburnobserver.com/subscribe

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For the first time ever, The Auburn Observer podcast gets to break down a football matchup between Auburn and Florida. Topics for this subscribers-only episode include:

* Auburn vs. Florida through the years

* why last year’s USF vs. Florida game matters (and why it doesn’t)

* precision

* the potential for an Elijah Melendez Game

* Auburn’s offensive line

* one of these teams will be 3-0 and trendy

* weathering the storm

* “pure, unadulterated, military-grade college football”

* Tom Petty

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Justin and Dan break down Auburn taking care of business against Southern Miss in a dominant but less-than-perfect home opener. Topics for this episode include:

* Justin sounds human again

* not being satisfied with a blowout win

* fan boat cruising with Byrum Brown

* a “Get ‘em” mentality

* an exciting start for the receivers

* the Red Turtle Shells (Auburn’s linebackers)

* going for points at the end of the half

* “the Florida game” and what it means to longtime fans

* “this aggression will not stand, man”

* Dan’s ode to the Capri Theater

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Justin (bad voice) and Dan (good voice) share their thoughts on what Auburn needs to do against an opponent full of unknowns. Topics for this subscribers-only episode include:

* Justin’s voice getting even worse! (sorry)

* lessons from Auburn’s win over Baylor

* redecorating on the interior offensive line

* the need to cruise

* the Et…

It’s the fourth annual Auburn Grubserver podcast episode, sharing our subscribers’ recommendations for where people should eat in the Auburn area on a football game weekend.

Hundreds of sickos submitted their ballots. Justin and Dan go through some of their favorites, welcome some special friends of the program to hear their picks and induct the top vote-getter of the year into the Grubserver Hall of Fame — joining previous inductees Pannie George’s and Byron’s.

Listen as Justin tries to power through his sinus-affected 90s alternative rock voice and Dan throws out impromptu picks for meatless dishes and Montgomery recs.

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Justin and Dan break down how Auburn was able to escape Atlanta with a 17-16 win over Baylor — and what all the Tigers must improve. Topics for this episode include:

* making big plays late in a close game

* “Nuclear” Winters

* Auburn’s offense: the good, the bad, and the ugly

* playing at a brisk tempo

* the importance of a pass rush

* overreacting and underreacting to Auburn’s pass defense

* the decision to move the game to Atlanta

* The Observer Gameday Chat Room is already a box office smash

* Coyote vs. Acme

* R.I.P. Butcher

You can cast your votes for this year’s Grubserver Awards by using the button below or clicking this link.

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Follow Dan (@dnpck) and Justin (@JFergusonAU) on Twitter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit https://www.auburnobserver.com/subscribe

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Justin and Dan break down all the angles of the official start of the Alex Golesh Era — the Tigers vs. the Bears, this time in Atlanta. Topics for this subscribers-only episode include:

* a lot has changed since the last time The Guys did one of these

* can Baylor block Auburn?

* can Auburn block Baylor?

* sources: they’re going with 17 at QB

* the potential of Auburn’s pass rush

* the futility of going fast without going forward

* Auburn’s home-away-from-home field advantage

* you deserve it

This is a premium podcast for Observer subscribers only. You can join by clicking the button below or going to this link.

You can cast your votes for this year’s Grubserver Awards by using the button below or clicking this link.

Follow Dan (@dnpck) and Justin (@JFergusonAU) on Twitter.

Justin and Dan go position-by-position through Auburn football’s 2026 roster heading into the season opener against Baylor this week. Topics for this episode include:

* Auburn, AKA “EllaWood”

* Defensive reserves who could still play an important role this season

* the last time Auburn had a linebacker like Xavier Atkins

* Justin’s biggest concern about the defense

* how good does the OL need to be?

* tight end productivity and how to quantify it

* 17 Again

* America’s Most Beloved Living Entertainer: Hanks? Denzel? Oprah? Kermit?

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If you’re receiving this free podcast episode and would like to upgrade to a paid subscription that gives you access to all stories and premium podcast episodes, subscribe using the button below or clicking this link.

Follow Dan (@dnpck) and Justin (@JFergusonAU) on Twitter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit https://www.auburnobserver.com/subscribe