Offensive line, quarterback play key factors in Auburn vs. Baylor

Auburn and Baylor will kick off the college football season on a Friday night in Waco in what should be an exciting matchup.

The Tigers and Bears both enter with coaches who have something to prove in Hugh Freeze and Dave Aranda.Neither team had a particularly impressive season in 2024, with Auburn going 5-7 and Baylor finishing 8-5 only after six straight wins to end the regular season.

That puts the pressure on both in this Week 1 matchup between two Power 4 programs.

College football analyst Josh Pate broke down the matchup in his latest episode of Josh Pates College Football Show.

He identified the matchup at the line of scrimmage, particularly between Auburns offensive line and Baylors defensive line, as being especially important.Should Auburn not control the line of scrimmage here? Pate asked.

For all the talk about quarterbacks, all the talk about this and that, Auburns offensive line coach be the most underrated in the country.

The quarterback will get questioned, Jackson Arnold will get questioned.

...So much could go wrong here, heres what could go right.

Baylors defensive fronts a little undersized compared to what Auburn sees in conference play.

What if they just lean on them and mash them? Ive got as much respect for Dave Aranda as the defensive coach as almost anyone in the country.

So I think to myself, if theres a turnover-prone quarterback whos starting his first game at a new school and his team has really good offensive line play and I know they want to run the ball on me, whats the last thing personnel-wise Im gonna let them do? So I think Dave Aranda sells out in every way imaginable to try and stop the run.

If hes still defenseless against it its a long night.

Its 30-10 final score, edge Auburn.

But if you blow folks off the ball all night, the quarterback problem takes care of itself.

Baylor was not great against the run last year, so thats kind of a non-negotiable.Baylor ranked just 72nd in the country against the run last season.

Jackson Arnold takes over at quarterback for Auburn this year after transferring in from Oklahoma.Arnold had issues with turnovers a year ago, with six lost fumbles and three interceptions.

That ultimately led to him losing the starting job midway through the year before taking it back.

Needless to say, if he can be more efficient, it would open the door a lot for Auburns offense.

Pate also compared the quarterback play at Baylor, where Sawyer Robertson brings experience as a starter.

He threw for 3,071 yards and 28 touchdowns to eight interceptions last year and could break the game open for the Baylor offense.

We think Baylor has the edge at quarterback, Pate said.

Sawyer Robertson, its pretty safe to say edge goes his way if it just comes down to a quarterback vs.

quarterback matchup.

The funny thing about this is, you kind of know the ceiling and the floor for Robertson.

Ive got no clue what the ceiling or the floor is for Jackson Arnold.

Im pretty sure last year was the floor.

I hope it was.

Whats the ceiling? Then the follow up is, if Hugh Freeze really has worked a miracle here, if the turnover issue just doesnt rear its ugly head what if the turnover problem isnt there? Auburns wide receiver group can take over the game.

This is yet another area of this game where I look at guys like Cam Coleman and, frankly, I dont know that Baylors got an answer for him.

Size-wise, I dont think theyve got a guy that can man up with him and then secondly, if Auburns running the ball effectively, Baylors gotta make a decision.

I dont think these DBs are gonna have a ton of help and that Auburn wide receiver group could take over the game if the quarterback play lets it.Ultimately, its a lot to consider when picking a winner for the game between Auburn and Baylor.

However, Pate chose the Tigers to come out victorious, saying he believes they simply have the more talented team.

Auburns gonna win this game, he said.

Auburns gonna go into Waco, Texas on a Friday night.

Most of these guys are visiting Waco for the last time in their lives and I think theyre gonna get a win.

It may not be pretty, but its the kind of game where you go in there, you get your win and then you get to the airport as quick as you can.

As you take off you say, A ton of mistakes tonight.

Well get em cleaned up.

But we avoided disaster.

I think Auburns going to avoid disaster and theyre gonna win in Week 1..

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