As Auburn heads to Waco, Texas, for its season opener, two things stand out in analyst Josh Pate's preview of the game. One of them is something that Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze would be proud to hear, but the other one is where things can get a little concerning for the Tigers.
After Freeze's two consecutive Top 10 recruiting classes, the Tigers' squad is different from last season. That sounds relieving for them, since last year they ended up with a losing record, something that Freeze would like to stay away from this season.
However, a newer squad comes with some uncertainties, the most prominent one being QB Jackson Arnold. The previous year was presumably Arnold's floor. Could he make this year his ceiling, or will there be an even unimaginable low? If so, the Bears' QB Sawyer Robertson will have the edge at the center, something that will not end well for Auburn.
"We think Baylor has the edge at quarterback. Sawyer Robertson, it’s 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. I’ve got no clue what the ceiling or the floor is for Jackson Arnold," Pate said on Josh Pate's College Football Show.
"I’m pretty sure last year was the floor. I hope it was. What’s the ceiling? Then the follow-up is, if Hugh Freeze really has worked a miracle here, if the turnover issue just doesn’t rear its ugly head — what if the turnover problem isn’t there?"
It's a big question mark, one that should sound concerning to Freeze, given QB is the most important position.
On the other hand, Pate's glowing review of the Tigers' WR room, better known as the Freeze Four, taking over their opponents whenever needed, should be enough to make Freeze proud.
“Auburn’s 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 don’t know that Baylor’s got an answer for him," Pate added, almost sounding like a warning for Baylor.
"Size-wise, I don’t think they’ve got a guy that can man up with him and then secondly, if Auburn’s running the ball effectively, Baylor’s gotta make a decision. I don’t 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.”
Pate's verdict at the end: “Auburn’s gonna win this game, I think Auburn’s going to avoid disaster and they’re gonna win in Week 1.”
We'll see how true it stands in about six days.