We talked about it for months, and it’s come and gone.
Auburn opened up the 2025 season with a 38-24 win on the road in Waco, Texas, against Baylor on Friday night.
While it wasn’t all pretty, there is an array of positives for head coach Hugh Freeze and his squad to build on as they head into a two-week non-conference slate before stepping into a gauntlet first half of their schedule.
Here’s a final look at some stats and tidbits from the Tigers’ season-opening win:
Miscellaneous
– Auburn has now won nine consecutive season openers, dating back to the 2017 season. It marks the third-longest season-opening winning streak in program history.
– Auburn’s trip to Waco to open the season was the first true road game to open up the season for Auburn since 2002 at USC, a 24-17 loss.
– Auburn evened the series with Baylor 2-2-1 on Friday.
– In season openers, Auburn is undefeated in the Lone Star State, now posting a perfect 4-0 record.
– It was also Auburn’s first win on the road to open the season since 1997 at Virginia, a 28-17 win.
– Auburn’s 38 points scored are the most points in a road non-conference game since beating Florida State, 42-41, in 1984.
– There were 13 players who saw action in orange and blue for the first time: Jackson Arnold, Xavier Atkins, Xavier Chaplin, Horatio Fields, Preston Howard, Hudson Kaak, Mason Murphy, Chris Murray, Rayshawn Pleasant, Dylan Senda, Eric Singleton Jr., Raion Strader and Dallas Walker IV
Game Specifics
– Auburn’s 307 yards rushing would have been the second-most of any performance a season ago – 326 yards against Kentucky. It was the third time a Freeze-led team at Auburn rushed for over 300 yards (354 at Arkansas (2023); 326 at Kentucky (2024); 307 at Baylor (2025)
– Rayshawn Pleasant’s 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the third of his career. It was also Auburn’s longest kick return for a TD since Tre Mason’s 97-yarder vs. Utah State in the 2011 season opener
– Jackson Arnold’s 137 yards on the ground were the most rushing yards by an Auburn quarterback since Nick Marshall had 214 at Tennessee in 2013
– 319 of Baylor’s 419 yards through the air came on plays that gained at least 15 yards or more. It was the most Auburn’s defense has given up through the air since 2021 against Will Rogers at Mississippi State – 415 yards.
– Jackson Arnold’s 100+ yards through the air and on the ground were the most from an Auburn quarterback in their debut since Cam Newton in 2010
