Why This Analyst Believes Auburn Will Beat Baylor In Week 1

The Auburn Tigers are desperately looking to improve after a long string of disappointing seasons, and in Alex Golesh’s first season as the head coach of the program, the road to improvement goes through the Baylor Bears- a crucial matchup that the Tigers will need to win if they want to set themselves up well for the upcoming season.

The game, which is set to be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on September 5, has odds that currently favor the Tigers, even if by less than a full touchdown, as Baylor appears to have improved in the offseason with new Florida transfer quarterback DJ Lagway. However, CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford has still penciled the Tigers in with a win in week one.

“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. ”

It has been no secret that people have questioned how Golesh’s USF transfer-heavy offense will translate to the SEC, and if the offense does not get through Baylor, Tiger fans may have their answer a lot sooner than they would have hoped. However, if Auburn appears dominant in this matchup, Tiger fans could finally have something to hope for.

However, Baylor is also in quite a similar spot to where Auburn was this time last year, as their coach’s seat is getting pretty warm, and they are set to rely on a transfer quarterback who has known issues in competitive matchups. Each team is desperately looking to prove themselves in week one, so this matchup could end up being a lot closer than many initially think.

“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.”

Especially if the Tigers want to make a bowl game this year (which they definitely do, especially after being below six wins since 2024), a win against Baylor will be crucial, as the rest of their schedule, particularly in-conference, does not lend itself to easy wins. A strong win against Baylor proves that the Tigers are on the right track, while also setting Golesh up well for the rest of the season with his new team.

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