Ole Miss · L 15-45
7 tackles, 0.5 for loss
The other 7 games average 6 tackles. This one was 1 above.
“I just meant from winters perspective that’s what happened but yeah I phrased it wrong I guess”
13 stories in the last 60 days, from 8 outlets.
Eric Winters
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. Played for two head coaches in two seasons at Auburn. A game that shows it: 11 tackles and 2 tackles for loss against Baylor — Week 1, 2026.
48 tackles · 0 sacks
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
Activity vs finishing · season enumeration
What the box score actually says
48 tackles. 1 pass defended. 0 interceptions. 2.5 TFL.
Counts only, never a rate — splash-event sample sizes this small (interceptions, pass breakups, TFL) are noise as a rate and signal only as a tally.
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
from 8 outlets
A devastating admission from Eric Winters after Tennessee loss: ‘Auburn just beat Auburn’
AL.com +1 Oct 3 · 2 outlets
Auburn Tigers +1Auburn's Eric Winters named SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week - Auburn TigersSep 7
Saturday Down SouthEric Winters earns national award for game-clinching performance vs. BaylorSep 9
Sports Illustrated +1Alex Golesh, Auburn Defense Rave About Eric Winters After Game-Winning TackleSep 6
Montgomery Advertiser +1Watch Auburn football recap Eric Winters' late-game heroicsSep 7
Yahoo SportsEric Winters' Game-Saving Play Was Exactly What Alex Golesh Saw ComingSep 7from 13 outlets
Eric Winters stops Baylor’s 2-point try as Auburn prevails 17-16
CT Insider +3 Sep 5 · 4 outlets
CT Insider +3Eric Winters stops Baylor’s 2-point try as Auburn prevails 17-16Sep 5Sports Illustrated +1Alex Golesh, Auburn Defense Rave About Eric Winters After Game-Winning TackleSep 6Montgomery Advertiser +1Watch Auburn football recap Eric Winters' late-game heroicsSep 7AL.comAuburn coach Alex Golesh predicted Eric Winters would make an impact; he delivered on final playSep 5Saturday Down SouthByrum Brown leads game-winning TD drive, Eric Winters denies Baylor’s deciding 2-point attemptSep 5Auburn Tigers +1Auburn's Eric Winters named SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week - Auburn TigersSep 7
On3Eric Winters: TOP 30 COUNTDOWNAug 1Saturday Down SouthEric Winters earns national award for game-clinching performance vs. BaylorSep 9
Dothan Eagle +1Could Eric Winters become Auburn football's mismatch advantage?Aug 12
RoundtableEric Winters Is Emerging as Auburn Football's Most Underrated DefenderAug 12Montgomery AdvertiserWhy game-saver Eric Winters highlights best of Auburn football defenseSep 6AL.com +1CT Insider +3Dothan Eagle +1Each week: his team’s game, the stories about him that week, and the week’s biggest news headline.
Stories are headlines grouped by what they are about, counted through Nov 4.
Fans first named Eric Winters vs Southern Miss.
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Last game (Wk 9): −1 pass breakup, 7 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 8 games
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 17-16vs Baylor | 11 | 9 | 2.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 11 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 43-8vs Southern Miss | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | L 39-44vs Florida | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 4 | W 21-15vs Vanderbilt | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 5 | L 14-24@ No. 17 Tennessee | 8 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 7 | W 27-24@ No. 1 Georgia | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 8 | L 17-38vs No. 18 LSU | 6 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 9 | L 15-45@ No. 12 Ole Miss | 7 | 5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 48 | 38 | 2.5 | 0.0 | — | 1 |
Oct. 31 · L 15-45 at Ole Miss, play by play
7 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play: 6 of his 7, sacks included.
His game this year: disruption in the backfield — 2 tackles for loss, in the 8 games with play by play.
How Auburn’s defense played that day
6 tackles, including 1 pass broken up.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
5 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play: 4 of his 5, sacks included.
8 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
3 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play: 2 of his 3, sacks included.
5 tackles.
3 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play: 2 of his 3, sacks included.
11 tackles, including 2 more for loss. The fumble he forced on 3rd and 2 ended Baylor’s drive (fumble).
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play: 9 of his 11, sacks included.
Forced a fumble on 3rd and 2. First quarter, tied 0-0. Ended Baylor’s drive (fumble).
Week 1 · 2026
W 17-16
vs Baylor · neutral site
2 tackles for loss · 11 tackles · 9 solo tackles
A close one, won by 1 at a neutral site.
Ratings of the games shown run from -16 to +27 points against an average team (SP+ rating of each opponent).
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
PD rate
2%1 pass breakupsTackle volume
48tackles this seasonTFL rate
5%2 TFL48 tackles · 2.5 for loss · 1 pass breakup.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 8 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home4g | 4.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| Road3g | 6.7 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-76g | 5.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+2g | 6.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Alex Golesh
Pass share
47.9%
264 pass / 287 run
Plays / game
68.9
8 games
Team sack rate
10.9%
312 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced.
Player standing · 2026
48 tackles in 8 games, more tackles a game than most FBS defensive backs who play every week.
Recognition
Production · CFB Zeitgeist Score
Former four-star. Now #191 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #19 of 28 SEC Ss
A base rate for the rank, not a forecast of this player: 22% of returning players who ranked #11–20 at their position in their conference made an all-conference team the next season (95% confidence interval 19–25%).
2026 is in progress.
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: Hugh Freeze, D.J. Durkin, and Alex Golesh. Multi-era developmental context.
