Analyst Josh Pate released his Week 1 Prediction Show ahead of this weekend's slate of games, and he declared that the Auburn Tigers versus the Baylor Bears could be the game of the week.
"Baylor versus Auburn could be the game of the week," Pate said on his show. "This 1000 percent has fourth quarter chaos, game of week potential written all over it, and I'll tell you why."
Pate opened the segment with a summary of what is going on in the Baylor football program. Head coach Dave Aranda is barely hanging onto his job in Waco after the Bears finished last season 5-7 overall and won only three conference games. Baylor's quarterback DJ Lagway was expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the conference last year at Florida, he failed to live up to expectations, his coaching staff was fired and then he hit the portal to get a clean start.
A lot of Baylor's season is resting on the shoulders of Lagway, who could absolutely turn things around for the Bears this year. But then there is also the question of the newness on the Baylor offense, with four new starting linemen and a new group of wide receivers. Not to mention the fact that Baylor's leading rusher from last season, Bryson Washington, transferred to the Plains during the offseason.
Overall, there are a lot of questions surrounding Baylor's status this year and if things will work out with Lagway, but it's completely possible that Lagway comes out looking like a new man.
On the Auburn side of things, it's the first game for the Tigers' new head coach, Alex Golesh. Even though the Tigers are in the midst of a year one rebuild, the offense isn't exactly starting from square one because a lot of the main personnel—like Byrum Brown, Cole Best, and the wide receivers—were previously in this system at USF. Still, the Auburn offensive line has to prove itself, and even Brown has to prove that he can kick it at the SEC level.
Not to mention that this game will be played on "neutral" territory in Atlanta instead of on the home field at Jordan-Hare.
Pate went on to say that if there is anything he trusts heading into this game it would be the Auburn defense, but he did choose the Tigers to win over the Bears this weekend in Atlanta.
Add us as a preferred source on Google