Auburn football vs. UMass: Our scouting report, score prediction for the season opener

AUBURN — Auburn football will soon begin a new era.

Between a new coach, a new quarterback and a roster filled with players who weren't with the Tigers last season, Auburn enters the 2023 campaign with plenty of questions surrounding the program.

Fans likely won't get all of their inquires answered against UMass (1-0) on Saturday (2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN), but the Tigers can still provide some sense of direction with their performance.

"I think our kids are ready," coach Hugh Freeze said Monday. "I think our staff is ready and excited about getting into a normal week. Really excited about my first experience running out in Jordan-Hare Stadium. I think that's going to be phenomenal and exciting. I've got more family coming than ever before, I think.

"It's just going to be a magical experience, I know, in that stadium, provided that we play well. That's the pressure or the anxiousness that you feel sitting in this chair — just wanting to deliver."

Here's our scouting report and score prediction for Saturday's matchup:

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A Week 0 advantage

Saturday's contest won't be the first meeting between Freeze and UMass coach Don Brown.

The Minutemen hosted Liberty — Freeze's former employer — in Week 6 last season, losing to the Flames by three possessions in a game Freeze's squad broke open with an 18-point third quarter.

It was one of two times in 2022 in which the Flames dropped 40 or more points, but it didn't feel that way: "He gave me fits last year, and I've watched that game a lot of times," Freeze said. "We scored 42 points and it felt like it was 12. It was hard."

But the biggest adjustments Freeze is going to have make are on the other side of the ball. Luckily for him, UMass beat New Mexico State in Week 0 last weekend, so he's got some tape to work with.

"It definitely helped," Freeze said of the Week 0 film. "They're quite different on offense than they've been in the past. So defensively, it's the same that I've faced. But offensively, they're quite different. ... I think they're very similar to us, truthfully, and there's a lot of options (in their offense).

"This quarterback, you've got to be aware of him, both running and passing."

Know the name: Taisun Phommachanh

Sometimes all it takes is a new man under center.

Former four-star recruit and Clemson quarterback Taisun Phommachanh transferred to UMass this offseason. He began his collegiate career under coach Dabo Swinney from 2019-21, appearing in 13 games over three seasons before spending 2022 at Georgia Tech, where he saw action in two contests.

In the Minutemen's win over New Mexico State, Phommachanh completed 10 of his 17 passes for 192 yards. But his real impact came with his legs, as he rushed for 96 yards and a score on 17 carries.

An opportunistic defense

While Phommachanh — along with other newcomers like transfer receivers Christian Wells (Appalachian State) and Anthony Simpson (Arizona) — provided a spark offensively, it was the defense that made the difference for UMass against New Mexico State.

The Minutemen forced three turnovers, including a pick-6 from Arizona transfer Isaiah Rutherford. The other two takeaways directly resulted in 14 points.

"(Brown) mixes it up between even and odd (on defense)," Freeze said. "... So, we've got more studying to do today to make sure we're (good), but there's going to be some negative plays. The whole deal is trying to confuse the O-line, and they're effective with that."

Score prediction

Auburn 42, UMass 10: Brown may have given Freeze some issues in the past, but that was on a near-equal playing field. The Tigers are simply more talented than the Minutemen, and the game should comfortably be in Auburn's favor by halftime.

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football vs. UMass: Scouting report, score prediction