Fox Sports' Joel Klatt predicts the outcome between Baylor and Auburn on Friday
The start of the 2025 season isn't going to be easy for the Baylor Bears. After winning the final six games of the 2024 regular season, Dave Aranda's team has to face SEC's Auburn Tigers in Week 1 and then two 2024 CFP teams in weeks two and four -- SMU and Arizona State.
But the Bears could get the attention of the national media this week if Baylor can knock off the Tigers on Friday night. In fact, Fox's Joel Klatt says he doesn't like this matchup for Auburn, going up against a good Baylor team.
“So you've got Hugh Freeze in Auburn, 2.5-point favorites on the road at Baylor coached by Dave Aranda. Really fun game. I think this is a tough ask for Auburn," Klatt began. “Baylor ended up winning their last six regular season games last year. They largely figured it out with a really good quarterback and Sawyer Robertson, who is back.
"He's got some talent around him back. That's a tough ask for Auburn. I know they're favored, but I don't love it."
"Hugh Freeze is under some pressure here. Everyone loved this hire and I understand it, but two straight losing seasons, they brought in Jackson Arnold, the quarterback from Oklahoma, a former five-star quarterback. I know the struggles for Oklahoma offensively were not completely Jackson Arnold's fault," Klatt reminded people.
Klatt, like most people, is high on Baylor's offense with Sawyer Robertson, Bryson Washington, and the Bears' cast of characters at wide receiver. The question for Baylor -- will the defense improve? Last season, the Bears had the 81st-ranked scoring defense, allowing nearly 27 points scored on them each game. But Klatt thinks Aranda will get things turned around.
“The Baylor offense, to go to them, I thought they were really good last year, late in particular. Sawyer Robertson, he's got Bryson Washington back. Those guys I think are really good players," Klatt said of the Baylor stars.
"And Dave Aranda got the defense starting to play better. They weren't great, but they were better. And that certainly was an improvement over what they were the year prior. So now you start to think about incremental growth year over year. So they were, they were bad. Now they were like decent.
"Could they be good? Maybe. I believe Dave Aranda is a really quality defensive coach and he should be calling the plays."
So what does Klatt expect to happen? He likes Baylor in this game, and he thinks the Bears will cover the spread against Auburn.
"I expect that to continue to improve. So where do we land on this one? I think it's going to be a tough game to call. I think it's going to be tight. I really do. I like Baylor at home.
"I'm going to go with the quarterback I trust more, and Sawyer Robertson. I'm going to go with Baylor, 31-28. I think Baylor covers the 2.5.”
Fans can watch the game Friday night at 7 p.m CT on Fox.
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