WACO, Texas -- Baylor's
Sawyer Robertson threw for 419 yards and three TDs and
Kole Wilson caught eight balls for 134 yards but Auburn football rolled to 307 yards rushing to post a season-opening 38-24 win over the Bears, on Friday night at McLane Stadium.
The clash was the first of a pair of tough tilts to open the year for the Bears, who have been rated as owning the nation's toughest non-conference schedule. Baylor (0-1) will return to action on Saturday, traveling to face No. 16/16 SMU at 11 a.m. on The CW at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. SMU opens the season on Saturday in Dallas.
The Bears saw an early 3-0 lead erased after an opening-drive touchdown, after Auburn scored 17 unanswered points and took a 17-10 lead into halftime after Robertson found
Kobe Prentice for a TD strike for 33 yards with 3:21 left in the second quarter.
Auburn stretched its lead to a pair of scores and the Bears pulled within a TD with freshman
Caden Knighten's first career TD with 58 seconds remaining in the third.
Auburn immediately saw Rayshawn Pleasant race 98 yards on the ensuing kickoff to regain a two-score lead.
The Bears answered with a nine-play, 79-yard drive that saw Robertson find
Michael Trigg for a four-yard score with 11:48 left in the game, cutting the lead to 31-24.
Needing a stop to get the ball back and seek a game-tying drive, the Bears couldn't get the defense off the field as Auburn went on a 12-play, 75-yard drive that accumulated over seven minutes, pushing the lead to 38-24 with 4:32 left in the game.
Baylor went for 483 yards of total offense, including 419 passing and 64 rushing. Auburn collected 415 yards, including 307 rushing and 108 passing.
Robertson threw for 419 yards and three TDs on 27-of-48 passing. It was the most passing yards allowed by Auburn since 2016 vs. Ole Miss and Chad Kelly. It was the most passing yards allowed by Auburn to a non-conference foe since 2010.
Sophomore tailback
Bryson Washington rushed for 54 yards on 14 carries, while Knighten toted it six times for 29 yards, catching the four-yard TD pass.
Wilson had a career-high eight catches for 134 yards, his third career 100+ yard game, after a pair of 100-yard games at Texas State. Trigg caught seven balls for 99 yards and a score, and
Ashtyn Hawkins had four catches for 70 yards.
Defensively, the Bears were led by preseason All-America linebacker
Keaton Thomas, who had a career-high 15 tackles,
Devyn Bobby,
Jacob Redding and
Phoenix Jackson each chipped in six tackles, and
Kendrick Simpkins had a sack and a forced fumble.
Auburn got a strong performance on the ground from transfer QB Jackson Arnold, who scrambled for 137 yards and two scores. Damari Alston had 84 yards rushing and a TD and Jeremiah Cobb had 74 yards rushing and a score. Arnold threw for 108 yards.
