California (1-0) at Auburn (1-0), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Auburn by 13 1/2.
Series record: Auburn leads 1-0.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Both teams would love to look better than they did in last season’s meeting, especially on offense. The Tigers eked out a 14-10 win at California when neither team reached 300 yards in total offense. Cal only had 281 yards in total offense during a 31-13 win over UC-Davis. Auburn ran rampant over FCS Alabama A&M in a 73-3 win.
KEY MATCHUP
Auburn’s passing game against California’s defense. The Tigers’ seven new receivers combined for 14 catches and 393 yards in a route of Alabama A&M. There’s little doubt Auburn’s passing game has improved but that game wasn’t a true barometer of how much. The Bears gave up 221 yards passing in the opener against UC-Davis but also intercepted three passes. Auburn’s new group of receivers is led by Penn State transfer KeAndre Lambert-Smith and freshmen Cam Coleman, Malcolm Simmons and Perry Thompson.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
California: RB Jaydn Ott limped off the field in the opener, but coach Justin Wilcox said he’s probable for the Auburn game. Ott was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection last season after running for 1,315 yards. He’s a preseason first-team All-ACC selection this year.
Auburn: QB Payton Thorne was stymied in last year’s 14-10 Auburn win, passing for 94 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. Now, Thorne has far more weapons at his disposal but still has to get it done against FBS competition.
FACTS & FIGURES
Auburn receiver Sam Jackson V played quarterback for the Golden Bears in last season’s meeting, passing for just 126 yards with an interception. Jackson had a 37-yard TD catch in his Auburn debut. … This is Auburn’s first meeting with an Atlantic Coast Conference team since a 14-6 loss at Clemson in 2017. … The Tigers played 94 players against Alabama A&M, exactly half of them seeing their first action for the Tigers. … Auburn set single-game school marks with six touchdown passes and five players catching at least one. It was Auburn’s first win by 70 or more points since beating Erskine 77-0 in 1932.
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