AUBURN | Year two of the Hugh Freeze era gets underway with five consecutive home game before spending the entire month of October on the road.

The schedule includes big home matchups against Oklahoma and Texas A&M, and road contests at Georgia and Alabama.

Today, we conclude an early look at Auburn’s 2024 schedule with the nation’s greatest rivalry.

WHO: Alabama (12-2 last season, 8-0 SEC)

WHEN: Nov. 30, Flex (afternoon or night)

WHERE: Bryant-Denny Stadium (100,077)

SERIES: Alabama leads 50-37-1

WHAT’S NEW: For the first time in 17 seasons, Alabama has a new coach in charge of the program as Kalen DeBoer was hired from Washington to replace Nick Saban. DeBoer brought in eight new assistant coaches including offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan, who followed him from Washington, and defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, who most recently was the head coach at South Alabama. The only holdover from the previous staff are defensive line coach Freddie Roach and running backs coach Robert Gillespie.

Alabama was active in the portal with 12 incoming and a whopping 32 outgoing transfers. Offensive line was an emphasis with the addition of Kadyn Proctor from Iowa and Parker Brailsford from Washington. Defensive back was another need with the Tide adding Domani Jackson from USC, King Mack from Penn State and Keon Sabb from Michigan. Kicker Graham Nicholson was another important signing from Miami (Ohio). Alabama signed the nation’s No. 2 overall class in 2024 including five-star wide receiver Ryan Williams, and five-star cornerbacks Jaylen Mbakwe and Zabien Brown.

WHO TO WATCH, OFFENSE: Junior Jalen Milroe returns for his second season as UA’s starting quarterback after completing 187 of 284 passes (65.8 percent) for 2,834 yards with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions last fall. He also rushed for 531 yards and 12 more touchdowns.

WHO TO WATCH, DEFENSE: A preseason All-American, fifth-year senior safety Malachi Moore had 52 tackles, 5.0 tackles-for-loss, one interception and five pass breakups last season.

OUTLOOK: Alabama lost some very good players including returning and projected starters in the portal, but will still field one of the SEC’s most talented teams this fall. How quickly and how well those players adapt to a new system and a new culture remains to be seen. The Tide also faces a much tougher schedule than they’re used to including a home game against Georgia and road contests at Wisconsin, Tennessee, LSU and Oklahoma.

Auburn has suffered heartbreaking defeats in the last two home Iron Bowls and won in 2019, but it’s been an entirely different story on the road. The Tigers last win at Bryant-Denny was 2010’s Camback but UA has out-scored AU 277-117 in the six games since. Another blowout loss is certainly a possibility, but it’s hard to predict where both teams will be by Week 14. Hugh Freeze is looking for his first signature win as Auburn’s head coach. Perhaps that comes in Week 5 against Oklahoma and perhaps something unexpected happens later in the season.

MORE SNEAK PEEKS:

Aug. 31 ALABAMA A&M

Sept. 7 CALIFORNIA

Sept. 14 NEW MEXICO

Sept. 21 ARKANSAS

Sept. 28 OKLAHOMA

Oct. 5 at Georgia

Oct. 19 at Missouri

Oct. 26 at Kentucky

Nov. 2 VANDERBILT

Nov. 16 ULM

Nov. 23 TEXAS A&M