Auburn's season-defining questions begin in Week 1 vs. Baylor

Entering his third season, Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze appears to be in a make-or-break year. Though he has yet to finish a season above .500, he has recruited aggressively, assembling two top-10 classes in three years, according to 247 Sports. 

Based on the talent that Freeze has brought in, some consider Auburn a dark-horse playoff contender this season. To live up to this, the Tigers will need to start sharp, opening the season in Waco, Texas, against the Baylor Bears.

Baylor finished last season with an 8-5 record, winning six straight before falling to LSU in the Texas Bowl. The Bears will enter this season with their own playoff aspirations and will be hungry for an opening-day win against an SEC opponent. 

Auburn's matchup against Baylor should provide an early measure of how far the Tigers have come since last season. Ahead of Friday night's kickoff, here are a few aspects of Auburn's game to watch:

Offensive attack

All eyes will be on transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold and how he runs the offense. 

Last season at Oklahoma, Arnold caught a tough break. He was benched for a part of the year, but outside factors such as WR injuries and poor offensive line play likely contr ibuted to his struggles. His pairing with the Tigers could benefit both sides.

All signs point to the passing attack being the focal point of this offense. This season, receiver depth should not be an issue with the talents of Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton Jr., Horatio Fields and Perry Thompson among several others in the mix.

In 2024, the Tigers' passing attack ranked 28th nationally. An improved receiver room and offensive line could help them climb higher this year. 

The Tigers already had an experienced offensive line, highlighted by All-American Connor Lew and transfers Xavier Chaplin from Virginia Tech and Mason Murphy from USC. With better protection at Auburn, Arnold should have more time to work through his reads in the pocket.

Arnold also showed flashes of promise as a dual-threat, rushing for 75 yards against LSU and 131 yards against Alabama to close out last season's total of 444 yards alongside three TDs. If he can make defenses respect his run ning ability, it should open the door for more opportunities through the air. 

With workhorse running back Jarquez Hunter off to the NFL, successors Damari Alston and Jeremiah Cobb remain relatively inexperienced in handling large workloads, as neither has eclipsed 65 carries in a season. This could create more opportunities for Arnold to get involved in the run game and keep defenses on their toes.

Turnover margin

Auburn's defensive unit returns several starters from a year ago and appears poised to improve. A key area of emphasis will be forcing turnovers. Last season, Auburn only forced 13 turnovers; the Tigers will need to get this number up if they want to reach the next level. How they pressure Baylor into making mi stakes — the Bears lost 15 turnovers last season — will be an early indicator.

Obviously, turnovers are a two-way battle. While the defense works to force them, the offense must take care of the ball. Last season, the Tigers gave up the ball 22 times, resulting in a -9 turnover margin, the worst in the SEC. 

This year should be a different story. Despite rough circumstances last season, Arnold does not have a track record of being a turnover machine, tossing only three interceptions. With an improved supporting cast, this aspect of his game should translate to put the Tigers in favorable matchups.