BY BRANDON HUGHES
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — In an electrifying season opener under the lights at McLane Stadium on the shores of the Brazos River, the Auburn Tigers began their 2025 campaign with a statement win on the road over the Baylor Bears, 38-24. The game was a tale of two offenses: Baylor moving the ball through the air to the tune of 419 passing yards, while Auburn leaned on its revamped offensive line to bully the Bears for 307 rushing yards. For perspective, Auburn averaged only 156 rushing yards per game against Power Four teams in 2024.
“Three things are certain: Death, taxes and Auburn is gonna run the ball,” said running back Damari Alston after the game.
Arnold’s Arrival
Transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold wasted no time announcing his presence. In his first appearance in an Auburn jersey, the former Oklahoma Sooner outgained Baylor’s entire team on the ground — racking up 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns to the Bears’ 83. His total marked the most rushing yards by an Auburn quarterback since Nick Marshall tallied 214 against Tennessee in 2013.
Arnold explained Auburn’s run-heavy scheme (52 rushes vs. 17 passes): “They were playing two high safeties…so we decided…to keep handing the ball off to our backs and…[running] QB counters and power reads. I didn’t think I’d run that much, but I’ll do whatever it takes to win.”
Head coach Hugh Freeze praised his quarterback’s decision-making
“Jackson didn’t force anything and took what they gave us. They were determined not to let us throw it down the field.”
Defense Bends, But Doesn’t Break
Defensively, the Tigers’ front seven played extremely tough, racking up four sacks and limiting the Bears’ rushing attack to only 64 yards. The back end of the Tiger defense, however, struggled both in coverage and tackling, leading to short passes becoming big gains and wide-open receivers.
“We played a lot of guys; some guys were showing they weren’t quite ready, but that’s okay. We’ll get them ready,” said Auburn defensive coordinator DJ Durkin said about the uneven play of his side of the ball.
The Game
Baylor opened with a 13-play drive for a field goal, then, after an Auburn three-and-out, marched to the Auburn 3-yard line on its second possession. But the Tiger defense stiffened on fourth down as Champ Anthony knocked away Sawyer Robertson’s pass in the endzone. From there, momentum swung.
Taking over at its own 4-yard line, Auburn went 96 yards in 12 plays — its longest road touchdown drive since the 2020 Iron Bowl — capped by Arnold’s 24-yard scamper to the end zone.
Alston added a nine-yard touchdown run from Damari Alston and Alex McPherson tacked on a 21-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 17-3. Baylor answered with its first touchdown of the night with a 33-yard strike from Robertson to Michael Trigg on fourth down to close the gap before halftime.
The second half followed a similar script. On its second possession of the half, Jeremiah Cobb punched in a two-yard score to push Auburn up 24-10. Baylor countered with a grinding 75-yard drive capped by another fourth down touchdown pass from Robertson. The home crowd was sensing a comeback. Momentum sat firmly with the Bears from the Brazos. Until…
The most electric play of the game
Rayshawn Pleasant fielded the ensuing kickoff on the right hash at his own two. Sprinting across the field, he got the corner, hit the sideline and was gone — 98 yards for Auburn’s first kick return touchdown since Noah Igbinoghene housed one against Minnesota in the 2020 Outback Bowl. The silence in McLane Stadium was deafening. It marked Pleasant’s third career kick return for a touchdown and the Tigers’ longest return for a touchdown since Tre Mason took one back against Utah State in 2011.
When asked about the return, Pleasant kept it succinct
“My blockers did a great job, gave me a seam, and I had to do the rest.”
The Bears were unfazed by the lightning strike kick return as they came right back with their best drive of the night, a nine-play 79-yard touchdown drive to close the gap to 31-24.
Auburn’s next drive, however, buried the Bears. The Tigers chewed more than seven minutes off the clock, running the ball nine straight times before Arnold put the exclamation point on the night: a 27-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-1.
By the Numbers:
- Auburn’s 38 points: most in a road non-conference game since putting up 42 against Florida State in 1984.
- Auburn won a season opener on the road for the first time since beating Virginia in 1997.
- Jackson Arnold: first Auburn QB since Cam Newton (2010) to run for 100 yards and pass for 100 yards in his debut.
Up next: Ball State, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 6, on ESPNU.
