Inside The Bears

Baylor Football: Behind enemy lines with the Auburn Tigers

Previewing a new series where Baylor can get an insider's perspective from upcoming opponents

Josh Crawford

QBs Sawyer Robertson (left) and Jackson Arnold
QBs Sawyer Robertson (left) and Jackson Arnold / Via: AP, Auburn Athletics
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It smells like college football outside! 'Tis the season of weekend couch-rotting, allowing your mental health to be entirely dictated by 18-22 year olds, and week-long debates on rankings, quarterbacks, and transfer portal acquisitions. Ahead of Baylor’s primetime Week 1 showdown against Auburn, we’re debuting a new series here at Baylor on SI, Behind the Enemy Lines. Each week, we’ll connect with the opposing team’s beat reporter to, in a legal, non-Connor Stalions way, go "behind enemy lines", and get the opposite insider perspective from the opposing —shedding light on storylines, players, and dynamics that might not be obvious if we didn’t ask. For this matchup, I spoke with Scott Kennedy, Publisher of Auburn Tigers on SI, to dig into the Tigers ahead of Friday night, talking Jackson Arnold, Hugh Freeze, and all things Auburn. 

Q: How much confidence do you have in Jackson Arnold as Auburn enters game week? He’s a former 5-star, but some inconsistency at Oklahoma led to his benching. Do you view Hugh Freeze’s comments about potentially using all three quarterbacks more as a reflection of Arnold’s play, or as an effort to incorporate the running ability of Deuce Knight?

Kennedy: Confidence is earned. I have confidence in Arnold's ability to run the ball and execute a fairly basic game plan that will lean heavily on Auburn's ability to establish the run and the short passing game off RPOs. As far as the dropback game goes with NFL-style of throws to the hash marks, we'll need to see it before there's confidence there. I am confident that Auburn has improved at quarterback over the last two years.

As far as potentially using three quarterbacks, I think that's more of Freeze's coachspeak saying he'd be comfortable using any of his three quarterbacks. With Arnold's top weapon being his legs right now, there's not really a special package you would use for a mobile quarterback. I wouldn't expect to see significant snaps go to anyone but Arnold.

Q: What is your evaluation of the new 1–2 punch at receiver with Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton since his transfer from Georgia Tech? Do you see this Auburn receiving corps as a potential matchup advantage against a Baylor secondary that was solid but unspectacular in 2024?

Kennedy: With rules favoring the offensive player, Coleman is going to have an advantage over any defensive back he plays against this year. He's got top-10 draft pick written all over him in 2027. He's got size, hands, body control, speed, and a work ethic. He's what you hope for when you put five stars next to someone's name when doing the recruiting rankings.

Singleton can be used in several different ways. He may be most dangerous early as a gadget player with screens and sweeps until Auburn feels comfortable with the downfield passing game. Malcolm Simmons might be the second-leading receiver on this team. But it all boils down to Arnold. He never had weapons like this at Oklahoma, so he's in a position to live up to his recruiting pedigree. We'll see if he can.

Q: How do Auburn fans and media view this matchup? Baylor’s players and coaches have been clear about how big this opportunity is for them—a primetime Friday night game against an SEC opponent. Is Auburn approaching it with the same sense of importance, or is it viewed more as just another Week 1 game?

Kennedy: No coach in 50 years has gotten a third year at Auburn after back-to-back losing seasons. Freeze has gotten the benefit of the doubt for some very questionable coaching decisions while he's stacked a depleted roster. On paper, this is a team that should beat Baylor. But there isn't anyone who is overlooking this game. It's a pivotal match-up to either springboard Auburn back to national relevancy or put Freeze at the No. 1 spot on hot-seat lists.

Q: How is Hugh Freeze’s tenure perceived entering his third year? Is his seat considered hot at this point? What are the realistic expectations for the 2025 season, and what would Freeze need to accomplish to feel secure over the next few years?

Kennedy: I think eight wins is the minimum number of wins Freeze needs to be coaching Auburn in 2026. He got a two-year grace period. Most Auburn coaches don't get a second chance after a losing season, and he's had two in a row.

Q: From Auburn’s perspective, which Baylor player—or position group—poses the biggest concern? Are there any specific areas where you think Baylor has a clear advantage?

Kennedy: For the most part, Auburn is concerned with itself. On paper, the team is loaded with young talent. It's getting the most out of Jackson Arnold to take advantage of arguably the best wide receiver room in college football (I've seen them ranked #1, PFF has them #2). Can transfer tackles Xavier Chaplin and Mason Murphy solidify the offensive line. Auburn isn't so much worried about Baylor as they are about Auburn. Last season, Auburn was the king when it came to self-inflicted mistakes. How much of that was on the players? How much of that is on Freeze? Have both been solved in the offseason? Those are really the questions. But... Sawyer Robertson can cause a lot of teams' problems. It's just that Baylor's strength plays into Auburn's strength (defense).

Q: What is your prediction for this matchup? And beyond the score, what would a win mean for Auburn’s trajectory, and what would a loss signal heading into the rest of the season?

Kennedy: It's awfully hard to predict, that's why it's basically a pick 'em at this point. If Auburn gets mistake-free football from Jackson Arnold, they'll win. But there were only 15 teams out of 133 who had more turnovers than the Tigers last year, and Freeze made more than his fair share of end-of-half mistakes managing the clock.

Let's say Auburn plays a vanilla offense that leans on the running game, including Arnold, and plays excellent defense. Auburn 27, Baylor 24.

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Josh Crawford
JOSH CRAWFORD

Josh began covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Before this, he previously wrote for Syracuse men's basketball and football at SI from 2022-24. As a former Division I defensive lineman at Prairie View, Josh is passionate about storytelling from a former athlete's perspective. When he's not covering Baylor, he enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts and music, and loves cooking a good meal.

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