The NIL era has rewritten the college football game. And not everyone’s thriving in this new reality. Just ask former Alabama legend Nick Saban, who walked away partly because of it. Then, before the 2025 season even kicked off, Tennessee lost its starting QB over an NIL dispute. Chaos? Maybe. But like everything, it’s a game of trade-offs. NIL deals have given smaller programs a fighting chance, reeling in four and five-star talents once reserved for the powerhouses. Now, the talent is spreading out, and competition is heating up even for aspiring players. And amid all of this, Hugh Freeze and the staff at Auburn is planning a bold move.

Auburn kicked off its 2025 season at McLane Stadium against Baylor. Next year, Baylor should have come to the Plains to wrap up the home-and-home series. But plans change fast in the NIL era. On Monday, On3 dropped the bomb. Auburn is moving its 2026 game from Jordan-Hare Stadium to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. And the move is part of the Aflac Kickoff Game arrangement. It will allow Auburn players to potentially earn up to $5M in NIL opportunities. With the Tigers trading home turf for the big stage, this NIL deal has even more up its sleeve.

The Peach Bowl is turning this matchup into more than just a Saturday showdown. Teaming up with the Aflac Kickoff, Auburn players will hit the spotlight off the field too. They will appear at events and promos designed to fire up fans and drive ticket sales. While the Tigers lock in a massive 20,645-ticket share, Baylor sticks to the SEC’s 3,000-seat visitor slice. And the rest of the tickets? Snapped up by the Aflac Kickoff crew. But the more intriguing fact is that due to this move, Auburn will only play six true home games next season. With the SEC shifting 9-game schedule, Auburn will face LSU, Arkansas, Florida, Vanderbilt, and more.

Their clash with Baylor will mark the 6th time since 1954, with the series locked at 2-2-1. Now, while this move has many positive sides for Auburn, David Epps, the COO of Peach Bowl, calls it a “next-level” approach. “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. 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,” stated Epps.

Why did Auburn make this move?

Auburn AD John Cohen sat down with AuburnSports to break down the move of the 2026 home game. According to him, the decision wasn’t simple. He had two choices. Keep the game at home or chase a major boost in NIL opportunities. These opportunities also open doors for revenue sharing.

While building a championship-caliber roster, Cohen wants fans to understand the strategy driving Auburn in the modern NIL era. “Any time we have the ability to advance Auburn student-athletes’ ability to earn third-party NIL compensation, we will take that opportunity,” stated Cohen. However, he didn’t stop there.

He added, “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.” For Auburn, it’s a calculated step that blends football and business, proving that smart decisions off the field can be just as important as the plays made on it.