How Early Kickoff vs. Baylor has Changed Auburn's Fall Camp Preparation

The Auburn Tigers officially began fall camp on Wednesday, but the itinerary looks slightly different than previous years.

Camp kicked off July 29, exactly one month before Auburn’s unique Friday season opener on Aug. 29 against the Baylor Bears, a few days earlier than the past two openers under head coach Hugh Freeze.

Freeze was asked at Wednesday morning’s press conference about how fall camp is altered by the unusual start to the season, and seems to recognize the tough test Baylor will present.

“It won’t change these first couple of weeks. You have to do what you do to get ready and get everything installed,” Freeze said to the media. “Then, you prepare for that first one, which is a big one against a really, really good football team that’s, by many, picked to be in their conference championship game. So, that’s a great test for us. It’ll be a night game on a Friday night, so that changes things. 

Freeze continued to detail the timeline change ahead of the Tigers’ early trip to Waco, and the significant effect it has on their preparation heading into the matchup.

“Our whole fall camp is changed based on that because, typically, you would have Saturdays as those scrimmage days and Sundays as an off day,” Freeze continued. “It’s exactly flipped for us throughout camp – we’ll have Friday as those days and Saturday as the off day because the normal week, when we get there, is going to be Sunday through Friday. So, the whole camp is designed for that.”

Entering his third season on the Plains, it’s time for Freeze to show proof of concept on the field when it matters most.

The Tigers have stacked back-to-back top-10 recruiting classes and acquired numerous transfer portal additions that will play important roles this season. Considering the marriage of Auburn’s drastically improved roster and retention of both coordinators for the first time since 2018, Freeze expressed confidence in this year’s squad, but understands the magnitude of their opener at Baylor.

“It certainly feels like we’re much further along than maybe years past,” Freeze said. “I think this team has a chance to be a really, really exciting team to watch. “Particularly, can they get a win or two under their belt that even grows that confidence that they have right now?

“Right now, they have a pretty good swagger about them and, hopefully, we can grow that throughout camp by the success we have,” Freeze added. “But, really, go get a W (at Baylor) and then they’ll really be confident.”

The betting public has certainly taken a wait-and-see approach on Freeze’s team. Auburn is currently a 1.5-point underdog at Baylor according to FanDuel.

Auburn boasts a golden opportunity to make a statement on Aug. 29. All eyes of the college football world will be locked in on the Tigers’ clash with Baylor, and Freeze and company could announce their return to national prominence with a Week 1 victory. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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