Auburn and Ball State are set to face off in the Tigers' first home game of the season. Here’s what some of our sports staff has to say about the matchup between the Tigers and Cardinals, complete with score predictions and analysis.
Jackie Dominguez, Sports Editor: Auburn 45 - 17
Auburn is riding high off its win at Baylor last week and is going to bring that energy to its home opener. Fans are also hyped for the first home game, and the vibes in Jordan-Hare Stadium will only feed Auburn’s motivation. I think Arnold’s ability to both target star receivers and run the ball is going to overwhelm Ball State’s defense. Hugh Freeze will also want to tighten up any mistakes or problem areas from last week, so the defense should be running like a well-oiled machine and smothering anything Ball State tries to run. I don’t think Auburn will run up the score too much to avoid any star players getting injured, but this should be a decisive victory for the Tigers.
Reid Farris, Assistant Sports Editor: Auburn 48-6
Auburn will be back at home first the first time this season and will be looking to continue their winning ways after getting a big road victory against Baylor. I expect the Tigers defense to be simply to much for Ball State to handle as they are coming off of a 31-0 loss at Purdue. I think Auburn will own the trenches for the entire game.
I do think a key component to watch out for this game will be Auburn's wide receiver room which was pretty silent last weekend. I believe head coach Hugh Freeze is going to be looking to give his quarterback and receivers some confidence and air it out early. I also expect quarterback Deuce Knight to likely make his collegiate debut in the game as he will be the first quarterback off of the bench in the rotation for tomorrow's game.
Rory Garvin, Sports Reporter: Auburn 47-7
Saturday night on The Plains will be all Auburn from the opening kickoff to the final whistle. Coming off a 31-0 loss to Purdue, in which its offense was anemic, I don’t expect Ball State’s offense to right the ship in a raucous environment under the lights.
Although the scoreboard might be lopsided in the fourth quarter, the game will remain interesting for Auburn fans. True freshman quarterback Deuce Knight is expected to see his first college game action if things get out of hand.
"First, let's win this game, and whatever that takes," Freeze said. "And should we need another quarterback to go in, Deuce will go in."
Jonathan Wallin, Sports Writer: Auburn 41-6
I envision this being the game where Jackson Arnold and the Tigers truly unlock their passing game. Last season, Ball State finished as the fifth-worst team in Division I for passing yards allowed per game. The Tigers will be looking to take advantage of that as they head into their home opener Saturday night. Auburn’s receiving corps was held silent against Baylor last Friday, but the Tigers still came away with a 14-point victory thanks to a historic rushing performance. Expect a much more balanced offensive effort from the Tigers this weekend as they look to take down the Cardinals in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
My bold prediction for the week: four different Auburn receivers will catch a touchdown.
Marshall Downing, Sports Writer: Auburn: 59-10
Auburn should be able to open up the passing game more than it did against Baylor. Jackson Arnold likely won’t need to run as much as he did in that game, and this could be an opportunity to build chemistry with the receiving corps before SEC play begins. Cam Coleman and Eric Singleton Jr. are poised for big games, especially considering Ball State’s defense gave up 340 passing yards to Purdue. With Damari Alston out, Durell Robinson and freshman Omar Mabson II are likely to see some action. Auburn should be able to take care of this one without any hiccups, and I expect to see Deuce Knight and Ashton Daniels take the field in the second half.
Braden Hensley, Sports Writer: Auburn 55-10
Considering Auburn’s convincing road win against Baylor, where rushing was its primary means of offense, along with starting running back Damari Alston being out, I expect to see Auburn’s passing attack as a major point of emphasis during this game. This is an unfortunate matchup for Ball State’s passing defense, which gave up nearly 280 yards per game in 2024 and 340 yards in its matchup against Purdue last weekend. Given these factors, I expect to see aggressive play-calling from Auburn’s offense, and I struggle to envision Ball State being able to stop it.
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