Auburn’s first game under Alex Golesh comes with no shortage of pressure, and CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford thinks the Tigers will handle it.
The opener against Baylor is set for September 5 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, a neutral-site test that already carries a lot of weight for a program trying to climb out of a run of disappointing seasons. Auburn enters with the edge in the odds, even if it is only by less than a full touchdown, while Baylor brings its own offseason buzz thanks in part to Florida transfer quarterback DJ Lagway.
Still, Crawford has Auburn taking the win.
“This one feels bigger than the typical opener, a neutral-site measuring stick for two programs trying to accelerate their respective climbs,” Crawford wrote. “An Auburn victory would validate offseason optimism and provide early evidence that Golesh's offensive system can translate immediately against Power Four competition. ”
That translation piece is the real storyline here. Golesh’s offense at USF leaned heavily on transfers, and plenty of people have wondered how that approach will hold up in the SEC.
If Auburn stumbles against Baylor, those questions will only get louder. If the Tigers look sharp, though, the fan base may finally have something tangible to grab onto.
Baylor, meanwhile, is in a familiar kind of pressure cooker. The Bears are working with a coach whose seat is getting pretty warm, and they are leaning on a transfer quarterback who has known issues in competitive matchups. That makes this opener more than just a season starter for both teams - it is a first real chance to show which direction each program is headed.
“Watch Auburn's tempo, quarterback comfort and ability to create explosive plays without sacrificing control,” Crawford said. “This matchup could become a referendum on both trajectories: Auburn attempting to reestablish itself, while Baylor searches for proof that Dave Aranda should be allotted more time. Win this one, and Golesh earns instant credibility before the Tigers enter the teeth of their schedule.”
For Auburn, the stakes are obvious. If the Tigers want to get back to a bowl game, this is the kind of game they need to cash in on, especially with a conference slate that does not offer much in the way of easy wins. A convincing result against Baylor would do more than open the season on the right foot - it would give Golesh an early platform to build on as the schedule gets tougher.
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