College football has redefined what games are the most important on any given schedule. Obviously, rivalry games are always the most important to a fanbase. But sometimes games early in the season don't have the same impact by season's end.
Case in point: Notre Dame's Week 2 loss to NIU. While it's kept alive by the sport's storytellers, it had a minimal impact on the Fighting Irish's College Football Playoff seeding.
Ahead of Auburn's 2025 season, On SI's Terrance Biggs dove into what would be the most important games for transfer QB Jackson Arnold. While Oklahoma was obviously present, AU's October 18 matchup with Missouri was too.
In 2024, Mizzou got the best of Arnold. The 30-23 Sooners loss was ugly. Arnold had 74 passing yards and turned the ball over several times in a game neither team seemed intent on winning.
Metaphorically, it was gory. Ipso facto, Biggs described the damage using the visual aid of 1980s slasher films.
"Forget the Saw or Terrifier movies as the film from the OU-Mizzou game would make Jason Voorhees hide under a bed. Arnold caught an eighteen-yard touchdown pass. Yet, he also fumbled at midfield, part of four Sooners turnovers. Now, Arnold potentially gets to run it back, this time in the friendly confines of Jordan-Hare," Biggs wrote.
Arnold is Auburn football's great hope in 2025. He's the poster child for transfer portal improvement this cycle, but that's based on nothing more than potential.
By the time the Missouri game rolls around, we'll know if Auburn is backing up its way-too-early top-10 ranking from On3 or if the Tigers are still a work in progress.
If it's the latter, it's unclear what Arnold or Hugh Freeze's future will look like. Because 2025 is being deemed an "all in" year. Six or seven losses would be a serious issue for AU.