By Bennett Parker | Sports Writer
Baylor has had the season opener circled on its calendar, vying for retribution against an Auburn team that got the best of the Bears in 2025.
That game still does not sit right with some of Baylor’s returners, even a year past the previous matchup.
“I’ve watched [last year’s film] about 100 times,” senior punter Palmer Williams said. “I want to play better against them; I want to play good every game, but I’d really like to do well on Saturday.”
While both teams have a lot of new faces, there is still a sense of urgency around the practice facility about getting even with Auburn in Week 1.
Last year’s game is in the rearview, and the Bears can only control what’s in the windshield, which is preparing in every way possible.
“There’s not a lot of anxiety,” Williams said. “We’re doing a lot of visualization. We even got videos of the locker room to walk in in Atlanta. Everybody’s going through their process. I feel like when we get there on Saturday, this isn’t going to be the first time we play this game.”
Baylor does not want to find itself starstruck by the bright lights of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The players are trying to strictly adhere to their routines from the moment they step into the building. Sticking to the team’s plans for gameday is vital for the Bears to perform.
While the physical preparation is certainly important, preparing the mind remains equally key before hitting the field.
“We want to be more mentally prepared than anybody,” junior linebacker Kyland Reed said. “Coach [Aranda] is taking extra steps to get us mentally prepared, so we’re going to be prepared.”
If Baylor has taken a step up over the offseason, it has a prime opportunity to prove it facing off against a familiar foe.
“It’s hard to say where we are [as a team] because we haven’t been on the field together,” Reed said. “You can say anything on paper, but you got to get on that field, you got to play, you got to line up.”
Auburn exposed the Baylor defense on the ground last year, mostly by quarterback Jackson Arnold, who rushed for 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Fifth-year quarterback Byrum Brown is also a dual threat for the Tigers this season and a problem for the Bears’ defense to solve.
“I think that having a game plan and sticking to it,” Reed said. “Having good rush lanes, having good eyes, just all the things that go into containing the QB. I think that it’s inevitable that he’s going to get out. But being able to limit that and kind of keep that at bay, I think that’s the goal.”
While many eyes are looking for the program to take a step forward, the excitement within the team lifts the players.
“We want to put the pressure on us,” fifth-year wide receiver Louis Brown IV said. “I feel like we are going to go out and win games … We’ve been working leading up to this time, so we’re ready for it.”
Baylor looks to prove its offseason strides against Auburn at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
