Hugh Freeze and Auburn Discuss High Stakes of Baylor Season Opener
The Auburn Tigers are heading into a season opener with higher stakes than in recent years, as they travel to face the Baylor Bears on August 29 to kick off the 2024 campaign. The question on everyone’s mind is whether this road game against a tough opponent will change the way Auburn prepares during fall camp compared to the previous seasons, where they faced teams like Alabama A&M in 2024 and UMass in 2023.
During SEC media days, head coach Hugh Freeze, center Connor Lew, and defensive lineman Keldrick Faulk shared their thoughts on how their preparations will differ this time around.
Unlike their previous openers, Baylor is a much stronger opponent, coming off an 8-5 season and a solid 6-3 record in the Big 12. This will also mark Auburn’s first non-Saturday game since 2015, when they faced Kentucky.
When asked if the prep for Baylor would differ from previous seasons, Connor Lew suggested it shouldn’t change much. However, he acknowledged the importance of the game: “I’m not sure that it changes the preparation, but opening up with a game like that, the opportunity to get a head start and build momentum, that’s really big for us.”
Keldrick Faulk added that the team couldn’t afford to take the challenge lightly, knowing Baylor is no push-over. “Baylor is not a pushover team. We’re coming off a week of fall camp, and we’re going in with a focused mindset. We won’t have them as our main focus immediately, but we’ll prepare for them like we would any opponent.”
Hugh Freeze, for his part, emphasized the heightened importance of the opener, calling it a game the team cannot take for granted. “There’s no question that our focus throughout fall camp should be heightened. This is not a game you can sleepwalk into and expect to win.”
Freeze is well aware that Baylor will come out strong on their home field under the Friday night lights. The outcome of the game could set the tone for Auburn’s season, either boosting their confidence or forcing them to regroup and reassess their goals for the year ahead.
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