WACO, Texas — In an electrifying season opener, transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold showcased his skills, contributing 137 of Auburn's impressive 307 rushing yards and scoring two touchdowns. The Tigers triumphed over Baylor with a final score of 38-24 on Friday night, marking their first true road game victory since 2002. Arnold, who previously played for Oklahoma, demonstrated his dual-threat capability by rushing 16 times, with six of those carries gaining at least 10 yards.
“Honestly, no, I didn’t think I’d run that much,” Arnold reflected on his performance. “At the same time, I’m going to do what I have to do to help this team win.” Auburn's first touchdown was a remarkable 24-yard keeper by Arnold, which capped off a 96-yard drive in the first quarter. He later added another touchdown with a 27-yard run on a crucial fourth-and-1 play with just 4:32 left in the game.
“Tough runner, looked kind of athletic too,” commented running back Jeremiah Cobb with a smile. “Looked like he was having fun. It is awesome, just adds more to our offense.” The Tigers' impressive scoring drive was set up by a fourth-down incompletion from Baylor's Sawyer Robertson, who threw for 419 yards, completing 27 of 48 passes and throwing three touchdowns. Two of Robertson's touchdown passes came on fourth-down plays, targeting Alabama transfer Kobe Prentice for a 33-yard score and true freshman Caiden Knighten for a 10-yard touchdown.
Adding to the excitement, Rayshawn Pleasant, another transfer, made a significant impact by returning a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, bringing the score to 31-17 in the final minute of the third quarter. “I thought we looked a little sluggish. And to see us fight through that and find a way to get a win against a good opponent to open the year, we can really build upon it,” said Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze. “I know we can play better than we did tonight.”
Auburn: This victory marks a solid start to Freeze's third season and for his new quarterback, Arnold, who was originally a five-star recruit from Denton Guyer High School in Texas, located only about 120 miles from Baylor's campus. Along with his impressive rushing performance, Arnold completed 11 of 17 passes for 108 yards, demonstrating his all-around abilities.
Baylor: In his sixth season, head coach and defensive play-caller Dave Aranda is looking to improve his team's record of 31-31. The Bears are gearing up for a challenging month with two ranked opponents. After finishing strong last season with six consecutive wins, Baylor is hoping to leverage Robertson's return for a potential run at another Big 12 title.
With the departure of last season's 1,200-yard rusher Jarquez Hunter, junior Cobb and senior Damari Alston seized their moment to shine in the backfield. Both players carried the ball 16 times, with Alston racking up 84 yards and Cobb contributing 74 yards. Alston showcased his strength with a leg-churning 10-yard touchdown, while Cobb powered through for a 2-yard score. “We already knew what we were going to do,” Alston stated. “All our hard work is now starting to pay off. But man, we’re just getting started. That's just Game 1.”
Baylor had a mixed performance on fourth-down conversions, successfully converting 3 of 6 attempts. They managed to score twice on fourth down, but two failed conversions resulted in 10 points for Auburn. With the Bears' defense struggling and missing numerous tackles, Aranda emphasized the need for offensive momentum. “We needed to create some momentum and keep the ball,” he noted.
Looking ahead, Auburn will host their home opener against Ball State on September 6. Meanwhile, Baylor will travel approximately 100 miles north to Dallas, where they will face former SWC rival No. 16 SMU.
