California vs Auburn listed as one of college football's best matchups of 2023 season

Auburn's 2023 football schedule will feature a pair of opponents the Tigers have never faced before. Coupled with the usual daunting SEC slate - now subject to change in 2024 with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma to the league - Hugh Freeze's first year on the Plains should be an interesting one.

The Tigers' four games in September are particularly interesting, as it includes two road games: a trip to College Station on September 23rd, and a non-conference game at California, a team Auburn has never faced.

Considering where both of these teams finished last season (5-7 and 4-8), this game smells of potential chaos - especially when looking at Auburn's last four matchups with Pac 12 schools (all one possession victories).

Grant Hughes of 247 Sports recently released his 23 best matchups of the 2023 college football season, with Auburn's matchup with the Golden Bears being one of them.

Here's what Hughes had to say about Auburn vs Cal:

"Cal's home opener presents one of the most intriguing culture shocks of the season as Auburn makes the long trip out west for its first-ever matchup with the Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium," Hughes wrote. "As it stands, Auburn has three players vying to be Hugh Freeze's first starting quarterback at Auburn. Starter Robby Ashford returns after an up-and-down 2022 season, along with junior T.J. Finley and redshirt freshman Holden Geriner. Whoever wins the starting job will look to keep Cal from claiming its first win against an SEC opponent since its 28-20 win over Ole Miss in 2019."

California is coming off a 4-8 campaign in head coach Justin Wilcox's sixth season with the Golden Bears. Cal hasn't had a winning record since 2019, a winning record in Pac 12 play since 2009, and a 10-win season since 2008. They have the 10th best all-time win percentage out of all current Pac 12 schools.

The Bears are 48th nationally in returning production, with 78% of their defensive production (from a unit that was 111th nationally in total defense) coming back.

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