3 Storylines I'm Watching Most in Auburn's Week 1 Matchup Against Baylor

The Tigers are looking to complete the sweep on this non-conference two-game series with the Bears this Saturday.

Auburn Tigers running back Jeremiah Cobb (23) runs the ball against the Baylor Bears during the first half at McLane Stadium last season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There will be plenty of firsts and debuts for the Auburn Tigers this weekend, who go to Atlanta to face Baylor to open up the Alex Golesh era on the Plains. 

Golesh will look to get started on the right foot entering the season, bringing plenty of players and coaches from his tenure at USF for over the last three seasons. Of those include quarterback Byrum Brown and many of the receivers that helped the Tigers average over 488 yards per game in 2025. 

With only a few days left before kickoff commences inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, here are three storylines I’m looking forward to entering Week 1. 

How Productive Will Auburn Be On Offense?

Auburn head coach Alex Golesh and quarterback Byrum Brown already have plenty of chemistry from their time at USF. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The numbers are there for Golesh, being third in the country last season in yards per game. USF was also top-five in the country in points per game with just over 40 points per contest. 

How many points do the Tigers need to score, in this case, for it to be a success for Golesh, based off his previous stop? Especially with how Hugh Freeze and his group was able to take down Baylor last season, it brings an important question. 

Freeze’s group hung 38 points on the Bears in Waco to open last season, though Auburn recorded over 300 yards on the ground to get the win. Golesh’s offense play more balanced, meaning the numbers that the Tigers recorded in this contest most likely won’t reflect those a year ago. 

Of course, Baylor also added Joe Klanderman as its defensive coordinator, coming from Kansas State after seven seasons. How Auburn scores its points, especially with Brown and Golesh reuniting, will be what I’m looking forward to, and who else stands out because of it. 

How Impactful Will Auburn’s Defensive Line Be Early?

Auburn Tigers edge Da'Shawn Womack (15), who comes from Ole Miss with plenty of talent and experience from the College Football Playoff. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In the offseason, Auburn lost edge rushers Keyron Crawford and Kendric Faulk to the NFL Draft, as well as defensive tackle Mailk Blocton to LSU. Defensive coordinator DJ Durkin had some holes to fill, but it’s a promising line. 

Arkansas State defensive tackle Cody Sigler comes in as one of the most efficient players in the country, while Durkin also added Ole Miss edge rusher Da’Shawn Womack off the edge. We’ve already talked about how important the need is to get to Baylor quarterback D.J. Lagway, who made plays before at Florida in 2024-25. 

If Auburn can stop the run game and make the game one-dimensional, it will help the remainder of the game. It’s about setting the tone early in the trenches, and Durkin will preach that heading into Atlanta. I’m looking forward to seeing who the main disruptors are. 

Bryson Washington Playing His Former Team 

Running back Bryson Washington (7) transferred from Baylor to Auburn this offseason. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A year ago, Washington led Baylor in rushing yards with 54 off of 14 carries. Now, he’s an Auburn player. 

He isn’t expected to be the starting running back to begin the game, with Jeremiah Cobb most likely taking that role to begin the weekend. Washington is expected to be a critical contributor when playing his former team this Saturday. However, other names like USF transfer Nykahi Davenport and sophomore Omar Mabson II will see touches, too, as well as Brown with designed runs. 

Emotions could play a factor, but it will be interesting to see the expertise that Washington has playing his former team and head coach, Dave Aranda. Although there will be fewer reps than the ones he had against the Tigers last season, I’ll still be tuning into each one. 

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