Jackson Arnold embraces fresh start at Auburn, eyes return to Norman in SEC opener showdown

Jackson Arnold, now Auburn’s starting quarterback, is set to face his former team Oklahoma in a highly anticipated SEC opener on September 20th, marking a dramatic return to Norman after transferring from the Sooners.

Tuesday, July 15th 2025, 1:45 pm

By: Toby Rowland

ATLANTA -

For the second-straight year Jackson Arnold appeared at SEC Media Days. But, this season he was greeted with chants of “War Eagle” as the presumptive starting quarterback of the Auburn Tigers.

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Arnold’s struggles as the Sooners signal caller last season are well chronicled and certainly not entirely his fault. An injured receiving corps and banged up offensive line made success difficult. But with fan pressure mounting and a new offensive coordinator in Norman, it was not surprising that Arnold entered the transfer portal this offseason.

His landing spot was The Plains of Auburn. And the schedule makers didn’t miss an opportunity to spice up the SEC Opener by sending Arnold back to Owen Field on September 20th to play the Crimson and Cream while wearing Orange and Blue.

Arnold handled the barrage of media questions regarding Oklahoma with grace Tuesday in Atlanta. When asked about his return to Norman, Arnold said, “I think it’ll be fun. Obviously a little weird being on the opposite sideline, but I’m excited to go out there and play in a stadium that I love to watch games in and I love to play in. I’m extremely excited for that game.”

Auburn Head Coach, Hugh Freeze, said, “I think (Arnold) has regained his confidence. He’s got the swagger right now and respect of this football team, and a great understanding of our offense.”

The September 20th showdown will be an important game for both teams looking for bounce back seasons in 2025.