Forget the idea of “easing into” the season — Auburn’s opening Friday night in Waco against Baylor and their gun-slinging QB Sawyer Robertson. And let me tell you, this kid’s no slouch. In fact, he might be the most talented QB Auburn sees all regular season… and we get him right out of the tunnel in Week 1. He has a compliment of capable pass catchers to make it even more menacing. However, Auburn’s D aims to muzzle Baylor’s big guns.
Baylor folks will point to their 34 points per game and 5,700+ yards last year like it’s gospel. But if you actually look at who they put those numbers up against, it’s clear — they were feasting on weak defenses. Against top-50 scoring defenses? They went 1–5. And when they played teams that knew how to keep folks out of the end zone, their point totals dipped faster than a thermometer in January.
Enter DJ Durkin’s Auburn defense — 21 points allowed per game last year despite having to live on the field thanks to one of the worst time-of-possession margins in the nation. Nobody — not Bama, not Georgia — ran Auburn off the scoreboard. And with more depth on the defensive front this season, the Tigers might be even more salty.
The key? Auburn’s offense can’t hand Baylor free possessions. If Jackson Arnold and the crew get Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton Jr., and Malcolm Simmons cooking early, it’ll be a long night for the Bears. Make them play from behind and let your pass rush feast. Baylor is not going to just lay down, the Tigers will have to put them away.
Bottom line — Baylor’s offense is dangerous, but Auburn’s D is built for this fight. Keep the clamps on, avoid the self-destruct button, and the Tigers walk out of Texas with a statement win.
