"Jackson Arnold is Cam Newton reincarnated": CFB fans hyped up as Auburn QB leads Tigers to 38-24 win vs. Baylor

Fans reacted as Jackson Arnold debuted for the Auburn Tigers with a 38-24 victory against the Baylor Bears in their season opener on Friday.

The quarterback completed 11 of 17 passes attempted for 108 yards, along with 138 yards and two touchdowns rushing.

Following Auburn's victory, fans shared their thoughts on Arnold's scintillating debut. Some compared him with program legend Cam Newton, while others discussed his credentials for the Heisman this season.

"Jackson Arnold (is) Cam Newton resurrected," one tweeted.

In a video shared by Auburn on social media, Arnold opened up about his first victory with the team.

"What's up Auburn family. First win out here," Jackson said. "McLane Stadium man got that dub for you all man. War Eagle!"

Arnold began his collegiate journey with the Oklahoma Sooners in 2023. During his true freshman campaign, he was the backup to Dillon Gabriel. He was named the starter last season but was replaced by Michael Hawkins Jr.

In two years, Arnold played 17 games for the Sooners, recording 1,984 yards and 16 TDs passing and six interceptions.

Ryan Brown heaps praise on Jackson Arnold's debut with the Auburn Tigers

Ryan Brown, co-host of The Next Round podcast, shared his thoughts about Jackson Arnold's debut performance with the Auburn Tigers.

He heaped praise on the quarterback's running game while talking about how his dual-threat ability was one of the main reasons for the victory.

"Auburn has the best running performance from a quarterback in more than a decade," Brown said. "38-24, the Auburn Tigers win over the Baylor Bear to open the season on the road. ... And the story of the game, is Jackson Arnold and his legs.

"Since Nick Marshall in 2023, the Auburn Tigers have not had a quarterback have this kind of rushing attack. Jackson Arnold going over a 130 rush yards, two rushing touchdowns, first time since Nick Marshall in 2013 an Auburn quarterback has done that. The Auburn Tigers as a whole, 300+ rush yards and all the touchdowns on the ground.

"They dominated the line of scrimmage. ... Baylor did not rush for a 100 yards. Auburn controlled the line and showed their dominance on the ground. Is this a formula for the Auburn Tigers moving forward? Time will tell. But Jackson Arnold, in his first start as an Auburn Tigers, his legs were the difference."

Hugh Freeze's team next take on Ball State at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Sept. 6.

About the author

Priyam is a College Sports content executive at Sportskeeda with a master's in Advertising and Marketing Management and over two years of experience as a writer. When it comes to reporting, Priyam believes doing a technical deep dive is one of his biggest strengths and he loves to dissect plays on the field and factor out the strengths/weaknesses of players.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Priyam sees Nick Saban as the greatest coach of all time. He is also rooting for Alabama quarterback Jalen Milore after following his progress over the years. The Michigan Wolverines football team is another of his favorite programs and it will be interesting to see how both these teams perform in new coaching eras.

When he’s not reporting, Priyam is usually at the gym or indulging in music. He has been a guitarist and a drummer for the past 17 years and finds his time of peace when playing music.

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Edited by Bhargav