Cal RB's comments before last year's game 'bulletin board material' for Auburn football locker room

Cal running back Jadyn Ott's message to the Auburn football program ahead of the two teams' matchup at California Memorial Stadium in 2023 was not forgotten by the Tigers locker room ahead of their Week 2 rematch at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

"With Cal coming to the Plains, Auburn players have not forgotten Jaydn Ott’s comments last year," The War Rapport's Mike Gittens prefaced before saying, "Players expressed to me this made the bulletin board for sure. Wonder what they 'see on film' this go around."

Ott insinuated in September 2023 that Auburn's name didn't match what he had been seeing on film before the Tigers beat the Golden Bears 14-10.

“There’s a lot of focus on the name Auburn,” Ott prefaced before saying, “But what I see on film is not really in comparison to what their name is. I just want to get that into my guys’ heads that a name doesn’t mean anything.”

Ott is listed as probable for Cal's chance at redemption against Auburn on September 7.

Payton Thorne labels Auburn football's 2023 matchup with Cal 'boring'

Payton Thorne doesn't have fond memories of facing his first Power 4 (then Power 5) opponent as an Auburn Tiger. While speaking to the crew from The Next Round Live, Thorne called the 2023 matchup the most boring game he can remember being a part of.

“What I remember from that game was honestly just that I felt bad for anybody that was watching…it was about the most boring game offensively that I can remember being a part of," Thorne said on September 3.

If Week 1 was any indication, Thorne will be airing the ball out plenty against Cal. With the Freeze Four and several talented transfers, chief among them KeAndre Lambert-Smith, on board, Auburn now has the tools to gain big yardage through the air and not have to scratch and claw for field position via the run.