AFLAC KICKOFF GAME: BAYLOR VS. AUBURN

September 5, 2026

Keshaun Singleton

Elijah Melendez

Auburn Tigers

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Postgame Press Conference

Auburn - 17, Baylor - 16

Q. Elijah, you had 12 tackles today. Coach Golesh was in here talking about you stepping up as a captain, being voted as a captain, and Eric was in here talking about how he's your biggest fan. Seems like you have a lot of trust from the rest of your team. Can you speak on the step you've taken this year as a sophomore and the win in the game throughout today?

ELIJAH MELENDEZ: I would say taking that step really came with being confident in my process and just doing the right things off the field and on the field and trying to be a better person. I feel like that's what helped the most.

Q. When Eric was in here, he said you guys have been roommates before. Y'all have a close relationship. What did it mean to you to see him make that final play and for it to be such a fundamental football play to make a form tackle at the end?

ELIJAH MELENDEZ: It was so exciting to see Eric do that. He deserves so much time. We were roommates for a year. Really focused guy, straight football. I knew he was going to stop him.

Q. Key, Byrum makes plays at the end. You see him do that a bunch. We talked to guys who are like, look, we believe in him. How important is that belief in a quarterback when you get into a situation like that tonight?

KESHAUN SINGLETON: To be honest, just knowing that it's going to -- like I said, to be able to make that play when it's time to make that play. So just like having that trust in him is amazing.

Q. Keshaun, tough game for the offense overall, but how much better is it when you get to fix those mistakes and work off it off of a win instead of a loss?

KESHAUN SINGLETON: It's amazing because the games always win in the details. So once you're able to fix them, it's going to be better. Like we can actually have fun with it.

Q. You said before the game this is the first time in a while you had your whole family at a game. How are you feeling right now after a performance like that, and did you get to talk to any of those folks afterwards?

KESHAUN SINGLETON: To be honest, I didn't get to talk to any of them right now. After this, I'm going to. But to be honest, I only think that I like did -- did as much -- like did good today, but I'm very hard on myself.

Q. Keshaun, what was defense throwing at you on those comeback routes, and how were you able to get open?

KESHAUN SINGLETON: The whole game, they was like playing off, so I was taking what they were giving me. That's it pretty much.