If you walked away from Auburn’s win over Baylor thinking there’s a “problem” with the passing game, I’ve got one thing to say: Watch The Film.
Jackson Arnold went 11-of-17 for 108 yards, and to some folks, that stat line screams “struggling quarterback.” But when you actually break down what happened, you see a completely different story. Auburn didn’t need to throw the ball to beat Baylor, and when they did, Arnold was efficient, accurate, and in control of the offense.
Baylor came out determined to stop the big passing plays. They lived in a two-high safety look, daring Auburn to stay patient and take what was given underneath. And Auburn’s play-calling did exactly that — methodical, calculated, and smart football. No unnecessary risks. No forcing deep shots into double coverage.
And when the opportunities were there? Arnold delivered. He ripped a perfectly timed hole shot into Baylor’s coverage Malcolm Simmons, dropped an absolute dime to Simmons that should’ve been a touchdown, and connected with Horatio Fields on an NFL-caliber anticipation throw. That’s not a struggling QB — that’s a passer processing coverages and making grown-man decisions.
Could Auburn have forced the ball downfield more? Sure. But why? The ground game was working, the offense stayed ahead of schedule, and Baylor’s defense respected Arnold and these wide receivers enough to stay back and guard against the deep ball. That says everything about how dangerous this passing attack can be when Auburn decides to unleash it.
Bottom line: there’s no issue with the passing game. There’s patience, there’s efficiency, and there’s a quarterback growing into his role beautifully. Jackson Arnold is fine, and when Auburn needs him to be explosive, the arm talent is there.
