It's been a long wait for Auburn Tigers fans—two full seasons without a bowl game. But according to CBS Sports, the drought could finally end in 2026 under new head coach Alex Golesh.

CBS Sports analyst Brad Crawford recently released an early projection for the 2026 College Football Playoff and bowl landscape, and he sees Auburn making a return to the postseason. In his forecast, Crawford pairs the Tigers with the Virginia Cavaliers in the Gasparilla Bowl, set for Friday, Dec. 19 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa—home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

For Auburn, this would be a welcome turnaround after back-to-back 5-7 seasons. The Tigers last tasted bowl action in 2023, falling to Maryland in the Music City Bowl. In fact, Auburn hasn't won a postseason game since a dominant 63-18 victory over Purdue in the 2018 Music City Bowl. With 47 bowl appearances in program history, the Tigers are eager to snap a four-game bowl losing streak.

Virginia, meanwhile, is building momentum under head coach Tony Elliott. The Cavaliers played in their first bowl under Elliott in 2025, edging Missouri 13-7 in the Gator Bowl. They also came within striking distance of the College Football Playoff last season, only to fall short against Duke in the ACC Championship Game.

Crawford's projections are based on a careful evaluation of each team's incoming freshmen and transfer additions, along with how they fit into the depth chart. For Auburn fans, the outlook offers a glimmer of hope that Golesh can steer the program back to relevance in his debut season.