It’s finally here—Auburn football opens SEC play on the road against Oklahoma in one of the most anticipated matchups of the season. For the first time in program history, Auburn travels to Norman to face the Sooners, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Both teams enter undefeated at 3–0, both ranked in the Top 25, and both looking to position themselves for a College Football Playoff run.

Kickoff is set for 2:30 PM on ABC. Oddsmakers opened with Oklahoma as a 6.5-point favorite and ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Sooners a 65.3% chance to win. Auburn has never beaten Oklahoma and lost a nail-biter last season, 27–21, at Jordan-Hare. The Tigers are looking for redemption this time around.

This game features two of the best units in the country: Auburn’s improved offense against Oklahoma’s stingy defense. Last year, Auburn put up nearly 500 yards of total offense against the Sooners—more than Alabama managed all season—but still fell short. With playmakers like Cam Coleman, Eric Singleton, and Malcolm Simmons now more experienced, Auburn’s offense will be tested against a defense that allowed fewer than 250 yards against Alabama a year ago.

Oklahoma’s defensive front is loaded with seven returning starters, but Auburn has the SEC’s second-leading rusher in Ja’Varrius Johnson. If Auburn can establish the run early, it opens the door for John Martin to take shots downfield. On the other side, Oklahoma will look to lean on their quarterback run game and grind down Auburn’s defense late.

This one has playoff implications. The winner positions itself as a serious contender, while the loser faces an uphill battle in a brutal SEC schedule. Expect a chess match, expect a defensive struggle, and expect fireworks in Norman.

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