Two of college football's most electrifying dual-threat quarterbacks are coming back to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, though this time they'll be standing at midfield instead of throwing touchdowns. Cam Newton will serve as Auburn's honorary captain and Robert Griffin III will represent Baylor when the two programs open their 2026 seasons in the Aflac Kickoff Game on September 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
The pairing marks only the second time in the event's history that both honorary captains have been Heisman Trophy winners, according to Atlanta Daily World. The first came in 2017, when Jameis Winston represented Florida State against Alabama's Derrick Henry at the same stadium, according to 247Sports. Newton won the Heisman in 2010, leading Auburn to an undefeated season and a 22-19 win over Oregon in the BCS title game, while throwing for 30 touchdowns and rushing for 20 more that year. Griffin III took home the award in 2011, throwing for 37 touchdowns and rushing for 10 more while accounting for nearly 5,000 total yards, and he led Baylor to its first 10-win season in more than three decades.
This will be the 24th edition of what organizers call the nation's longest-running kickoff game, and it will be Auburn's fourth appearance in the event. Baylor, meanwhile, is making its first trip to the showcase. The Big 12 vs. SEC matchup will be only the second of its kind for the kickoff game, and it continues a rivalry between the two programs that dates back to 1954, with the all-time series tied 2-2-1. Auburn won the most recent meeting 38-24 in Waco last season, the fifth time the two teams have squared off.
Why Auburn Left Jordan-Hare for Atlanta
The Auburn-Baylor game was originally slated to close out a home-and-home series at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium, but university officials relocated the contest to Atlanta to take part in the Aflac Kickoff Game, according to On3. The move was tied to a multi-million-dollar Name, Image, and Likeness agreement between Peach Bowl, Inc. and Auburn, compensating as many as 24 Auburn players for promotional activities tied to the game. On3's reporting frames the deal as part of an effort by organizers to pioneer revenue-sharing and marketing compensation models for neutral-site matchups.
The event is now led by CEO David Epps, who officially took over Peach Bowl, Inc. on June 1 after nearly three decades with the organization, starting as a ticket-sales intern back in 1994. Epps replaced longtime leader Gary Stokan, who had run the organization for 28 years, per a Hoodline report on his rise from intern to CEO. Aflac has held the title sponsorship since a three-year deal signed in July 2023, taking over from Chick-fil-A, which had sponsored the event since it launched in 2008 while continuing to back the annual Peach Bowl game.
Parallel Paths From Heisman to the NFL
Newton and Griffin III shared more than a trophy case. Newton was selected first overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers and went on to win Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year that season, while Griffin III went second overall to Washington and won the same honor the following year, in 2012. Newton later led the Panthers to a Super Bowl appearance in 2015 and became the first Auburn alumnus to win NFL MVP honors, cementing his legacy as Auburn's third Heisman Trophy winner.
Griffin III's college resume includes 78 career passing touchdowns and 33 quarterback rushing touchdowns at Baylor, along with helping the Bears secure their first home win over a top-five team since 1982. Auburn later retired Newton's No. 2 jersey in October 2025 during a game against Georgia, making him just the fourth Auburn player honored that way, joining Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson, and Terry Beasley, as Hoodline reported in its coverage of the jersey retirement ceremony.
A Pregame Ceremony Built Around Childhood Cancer Awareness
Beyond the coin toss, the kickoff game carries a philanthropic thread. Each honorary captain will be accompanied by a current or former patient from the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta when the captains join team captains at midfield for the pregame coin toss. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and Aflac's independent sales agents, employees, and its foundation have given more than $200 million to the center since 1995.
The kickoff game's charitable arm, known as Kickoff for a Cause, has generated more than $1.2 million for childhood cancer research, according to the Atlanta Daily World report. Separately, Peach Bowl, Inc. has donated more than $23.5 million to the Peach Bowl Legacy Fund, which currently supports 18 clinical drug trials for children. The nonprofit, founded in 1967 by the Georgia Lions Club to support vision and hearing care, has grown into what it describes as college football's most charitable bowl organization, having given more than $71.2 million in total charitable and scholarship contributions.
Big Business, Bigger Crowds
The kickoff game has become a substantial economic engine for Atlanta and Georgia. Across the 23 games held from its 2008 inception through April 2026, the event generated $593.8 million in direct economic impact and $41.5 million in tax revenue, while distributing $127.7 million in payouts to participating athletic programs, according to Georgia Tech Athletics. The game has averaged crowds of more than 65,000 and drawn nearly 1.5 million total attendees to Atlanta over its run. Peach Bowl, Inc. also served as the founding sponsor of the College Football Hall of Fame downtown, which recently hosted a free community fest ahead of the new season.
