The Auburn Tigers are set to begin their season on Saturday after a chaotic offseason of coaching changes, roster churn and overblown media narratives, and Alex Golesh is looking to start his Auburn career on a high note with a win over the Baylor Bears.
Much of his team, however, is quite different from the roster that the Tigers took to Waco a year ago, yet advanced analytics are still favoring the Tigers in the matchup, and I am expecting these three offensive Tigers to play a massive role in this game.
Byrum Brown – Quarterback
This one pretty much goes without saying, but Byrum Brown could very well take over this game if he gets comfortable with his new unit. One of the best quarterbacks in football last year, Brown was the only quarterback in the country to rush for over 1,000 yards in addition to passing for over 3,000 yards, and he finished second in the country in total touchdowns accounted for.
However, much of that production came against teams in the AAC, and there has been a lot of concern as to how Brown will adjust to playing a much more rigorous schedule. Baylor may not be an SEC program, but they should prove to be a great middle ground between that AAC competition and the SEC competition the Tigers will face later this year.
Brown’s performance in this game will not only influence the outcome of the Tigers’ season-opener, but also shed some light on what to expect from him throughout the rest of the season.
Chas Nimrod – Wide Receiver
Nimrod may not even be the first name listed on the Tigers’ depth chart at the wide receiver position this year, but expectations have been high for him ever since he first stepped onto the Plains. Brown, in fact, even told the media early on that he expects Nimrod to accumulate over 1,000 receiving yards this season, a feat that has gone unachieved by an Auburn Tiger since 1999.
Like in Brown’s case, Nimrod could severely impact the outcome of this matchup, but what may be more important is the pace he sets for the rest of the season. Since Brown was confident in Nimrod’s total receiving production this season, expect him to see plenty of targets throughout the game.
Jeremiah Cobb – Running Back
The lone Auburn returner on this list (and on the starting offense), Jeremiah Cobb could be one of the single most impactful players in Saturday’s matchup, as the Tigers have been quite clear that they will lean heavily on the rushing attack throughout the season. Cobb will likely be alternating drives with Omar Mabson or Bryson Washington, but as the RB1, Cobb is looking to set the tone early.
Baylor struggled against the rush last season and has lost several key pieces of their rush defense, so Auburn is certainly advantaged in this regard against the Bears. Rushing the ball effectively starts with Cobb, though, so he’ll need to show out on Saturday if the Auburn faithful are to believe in Alex Golesh’s rushing philosophy.
The Auburn Tigers are set to face off against the Baylor Bears this Saturday, Sep. 5, at 2:30 p.m. CT. The game will be played in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and broadcast on ABC.
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