Auburn's Alex Golesh takes the blame for pre-snap penalties at Tennessee

Auburn head coach Alex Golesh says the pre-snap penalties that hurt his team at Tennessee are his responsibility, not his players'.

On Tuesday, Golesh pointed at himself when asked about the early flags against Tennessee, On3's AuburnSports reported. Bryan Matthews wrote the story. On3 framed it as the head coach accepting the blame himself instead of putting it on the players who committed the fouls. The full report is behind On3's paywall, and the public portion does not list how many penalties there were or who was flagged.

It matters because of what comes next. Auburn is 3-2 and plays at No. 1 Georgia on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN. Georgia is 6-0, and Auburn has to go into one of the hardest road environments in the conference. Penalties before the snap are a problem in any stadium. In a hostile one, they can wreck an offense's plan before the play starts. Golesh taking public ownership points to a coaching fix this week, whether that means simpler communication, cleaner substitutions or better operation at the line, and not just a reminder to the players to focus.

The market expects a long day for the Tigers. Georgia is favored at -1150 on Novig, one of the venues pricing the game. The best sportsbook price on the Bulldogs is -1352 at Pinnacle. Georgia is favored by 20.5 points, and the total is 49.5. A spread that big leaves Auburn no room for wasted downs. Five-yard losses that turn second-and-medium into second-and-long are exactly what a heavy underdog can't afford against a defense with Georgia's talent.

By publicly owning the penalty problem, Golesh also takes some heat off his players heading into the toughest game on Auburn's schedule so far. Coaches often do this in midseason to keep a locker room together after a sloppy performance. The answer to whether it worked will come in Athens, and the first few possessions should show it. If Auburn can get lined up, snap the ball cleanly and stay ahead of the chains early, it gives itself a chance to stay in the game. If the flags come back, the Bulldogs are well equipped to take advantage.

Tennessee, the team that drew those penalties out of Auburn, has its own big game this week. The No. 14 Volunteers (5-1) host No. 6 Alabama (5-1) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EDT on ABC. Alabama is favored at -317 on Novig and by 8.5 points, with a total of 51.5. The best sportsbook price on the Crimson Tide is -320 at theScore Bet. More prices for both games are on the Auburn at Georgia and Alabama at Tennessee odds pages.

For Auburn, the goal this week is basic. Get the snap off without a flag, and see whether the head coach's fix holds up at No. 1 Georgia.