(BCSNN) — Jackson Arnold rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns and added 108 yards through the air as Auburn powered past Baylor 38–24 on Friday night in the season opener at McLane Stadium. The Tigers piled up 307 rushing yards and used a late fourth-quarter drive to seal the win in head coach Hugh Freeze’s third season opener.

Arnold, a transfer from Oklahoma, completed 11 of 17 passes and ran 16 times, including a 24-yard touchdown in the first quarter and a 27-yard score on fourth-and-1 to cap a 12-play, 75-yard drive that put the game away with 4:32 remaining. “Honestly, no, I didn’t think I’d run that much,” Arnold said. “But I’ll do whatever it takes to help this team win.”

Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson kept the Bears competitive with a career-high 419 passing yards and three touchdowns on 27-of-48 attempts. Two of his scoring throws came on fourth-down plays, including a 33-yard strike to Alabama transfer Kobe Prentice and a 10-yard toss to freshman running back Caiden Knighten. Robertson also connected with tight end Michael Trigg for a four-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to 31–24.

The Bears (0–1) struggled to contain Auburn’s ground game, allowing 5.9 yards per carry. Junior running back Damari Alston rushed for 84 yards on 16 carries, while Jeremiah Cobb added 74 yards on the same number of attempts. Auburn’s offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage throughout, helping the Tigers (1–0) dominate time of possession and wear down Baylor’s front seven.

Baylor wideout Kole Wilson led all receivers with eight catches for 134 yards, while Trigg added seven receptions for 99 yards and a score. Knighten contributed 29 rushing yards and a receiving touchdown in his collegiate debut. Despite 483 yards of total offense, the Bears couldn’t overcome key defensive lapses and a special teams breakdown.

Auburn’s Rayshawn Pleasant returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter, immediately answering Knighten’s score and restoring a two-possession lead. Pleasant, a transfer from Tulane, had two kickoff return touchdowns last season and added another explosive play to his résumé.

“We looked a little sluggish early, but to fight through that and beat a good team on the road, we can build on this,” Freeze said. “I know we can play better than we did tonight.”

Baylor will travel to No. 16 SMU next Saturday for an in-state showdown, while Auburn returns home to host Georgia Southern. With both teams facing ranked opponents in September, Friday’s opener offered a glimpse of strengths—and areas needing improvement—as the season unfolds.