One of the biggest games of the weekend will be between the Auburn Tigers and the Baylor Bears. The two will face off in Atlanta at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC on Saturday.

Auburn vs. Baylor Is One of the Marquee Games in College Football in Week 1

Last season, the Tigers knocked off the Bears 38-24 in what felt like a huge win for the Hugh Freeze era. The Tigers ran for 307 yards in that game. But this is a whole new team for Auburn. Freeze's team would fall apart after that win and he would be let go. That resulted in the start of the Alex Golesh era.

It's not just Freeze who is no longer there. Quarterback Jackson Arnold led the team in rushing with 137 yards in that game. However, he's now at UNLV. The new starter is Byruam Brown, who ran for over 1,000 yards last season under Golesh. So, if the Bears haven't fixed their rush defense, it could be another long day.

Paul Finebaum Predicts Auburn to Beat Baylor in Alex Golesh's Debut

In fact, ESPN's Paul Finebaum revealed on "The Paul Finebaum Show" that he thinks the Tigers will get the win this weekend.

"I can't wait. I think that's one of the more most intriguing games of the weekend," Finebaum said. "And I I think I think by 7 o'clock Saturday, Auburn fans are going to be feeling great."

Auburn Has a Chance to Make an Early Statement Under Golesh

The rematch is less about what happened last season and more about what Auburn can become under Golesh. The Tigers have rebuilt much of the roster through the transfer portal, including bringing several former South Florida players to Auburn alongside their new head coach.

That familiarity could be particularly important early in the season. Brown already knows Golesh's system, and the quarterback's ability to run the offense at a high tempo could give Auburn a clear identity from the start.

Finebaum has been optimistic about Auburn's potential throughout the offseason. Now the Tigers get the opportunity to turn that optimism into something tangible. A win over Baylor would give Golesh a strong opening statement and immediately put the Tigers on the path Finebaum envisioned. More importantly, it would show that Auburn's disappointing 2025 season may have been the end of one era rather than a sign of where the program is headed.