Auburn Football: Back at Home

🏈 Good Morning, Auburn Family! This weekend, Auburn Football is back at home with the best fans in the country. Let’s recap the opening weekend dub and look forward to Kickoff on The Plains.

I’m incredibly proud of the way our team competed and found a way to earn a hard-fought win over Baylor. The resilience, preparation, and belief our players showed is a testament to the work they’ve been putting in all offseason. This victory is just the beginning as we’re building something special here, and I couldn’t be more excited about the potential this group has as we continue our journey through the season.

War Eagle! — Head Coach Hugh Freeze

This week, our mindset has to be about chasing greatness with the faith that God can do far more with our dreams than we can on our own. Just like Benaiah in Scripture, who stepped into impossible situations—facing warriors, giants, and even lions—our success will come from trusting the preparation, the leadership we follow, and the courage to attack challenges head-on. He didn’t back down, and neither can we. Football rewards those who seize opportunities with conviction, not those who fear mistakes. We’ve got to be lion chasers—grabbing opportunity by the mane, staying aggressive, and attacking this game with relentless effort. If we do that, we’ll position ourselves to turn every challenge into a victory.

🟠 Ate Off Their Plate. The team took down Baylor on the road 38-24 at McLane Stadium. Jackson Arnold rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for 108 yards. Rayshawn Pleasant was indeed a pleasant surprise as he returned a kickoff for a 98-yard touchdown. Running back duo Damari Alston and Jeremiah Cobb also scored rushing touchdowns in the win.

🏈 Recap
🎥 Highlights | Cinematic Recap
🔢 Game Notes

🟠 Under The Lights. Auburn takes on Ball State at 6:30 p.m. Saturday night for Kickoff on The Plains. The team will also honor Auburn legend Coach Pat Dye for Pat Dye Reunion Weekend.

🟠 Next-Level Exposure. Auburn Athletics has teamed up with Student Athlete Score to advance NIL innovation and Athlete Marketing. The partnership provides student-athletes with real-time insights, data-driven guidance, and tools to grow their personal brands—maximizing opportunities both on and off the field.

🟠 What He Said. In Auburn’s victory over Baylor on Friday night, the Tigers dominated on the ground, with 307 total running yards on 52 attempts, racking up 4 TDs. Junior Jeremiah Cobb and senior Damari Alston each had 16 carries and combined for 158 yards and two touchdowns.

🟠 Welcome To Pleasantville. Quarterback Jackson Arnold was named SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week and one of the Davey O’Brien Great 8 for the first week of the 2025 season. He was the only SEC quarterback to rush and pass for 100+ yards last week.

Kick returner Rayshawn Pleasant was named the SEC Co-Special Teams Player of the Week. The honor comes after his 98-yard kick return touchdown against Baylor, reaching a top speed of 20.9 MPH. It was the longest kickoff return for a touchdown since former Tiger Tre Mason’s 97-yarder vs. Utah State in 2011.

🟠 Everything School. Auburn University has been ranked in the top 10 Best College Campuses on Niche’s 2026 Best Colleges in America rankings!

🟠 Offensive Coordinator / Running Backs Coach Derrick Nix enters his second season at Auburn after a legendary playing and coaching career. A standout Southern Miss running back, Nix was recently inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame alongside legends like Walter Payton and Jerry Rice.

On The Plains, Nix guided All-SEC back Jarquez Hunter to 1,201 rushing yards in 2024 and brings 16 years of SEC coaching experience, mentoring NFL-caliber running backs and receivers. Known as much for his character as his coaching acumen, Nix combines proven offensive expertise with a commitment to developing Auburn’s next generation of playmakers.

🟠 Dominant Performance. Auburn center Connor Lew was tabbed to the Rimington Trophy Watchlist, which is awarded annually to the most outstanding center in NCAA FBS football.

🟠 He’s Different. Cam Coleman added to his list of highlight reel plays over the weekend with this 23-yard reception—while rocking two watches.

Saturday, Sept. 6
🏈 vs. Ball State | Kickoff On the Plains / Pat Dye Reunion Weekend @ 6:30 p.m. | ESPNU | Color: Fan Choice

Saturday, Sept. 13
🏈 vs. South Alabama | Homecoming Weekend @ 11:45 a.m. | SECN | Color: Wear White

🐯 Go here to view the entire Auburn Athletics Calendar

It never feels like an away game when you have fans like ours 🦅
Thank you, Auburn Family!