JORDAN-HARE STADIUM GATES OPEN: 4:30 p.m. (CT)
KICKOFF: 6:30 p.m. (CT)
TV: SEC Network
Well, on paper Auburn fans shouldn't have anything to worry about. Despite losing to LSU on a last-second field goal in last week's SEC opener, the Tigers are still ranked 9th in the country, and face an Arkansas team at its lowest point in years. The Razorbacks are coming off back-to-back losses... to Colorado State and North Texas. (Google it--it's true.)
Still, Auburn has paid the price for overconfidence in this rivalry before, so who knows...
Fans can find what to definitely expect below.
WEATHER:
Friday will be mostly sunny with a high of around 89 and a low around 70, according to the National Weather Service. Saturday's forecast calls for sunny skies and a high of 90 and a low of 69.
HISTORY:
These days, when Arkansas comes to town, pregame narratives are typically dominated by the connections to the Natural State of whichever Arkansas native happens to be coaching the Tigers at the time. Both Gus Malzahn and Tommy Tuberville are Arkansas natives who, if you believed the rumors, have wanted nothing more in life than to put down permanent football stakes in Fayetteville. This time, it's more to do with Gus' bromance with fellow former high school head honcho Chad Morris, who has been given the herculean task of healing the Hogs.
Yet the Auburn-Arkansas series had its place in recent Auburn lore before coaching carousel drama entered the mix. The teams first met in the 1984 Liberty Bowl (with its interesting pregame pageantry). They didn't tangle again until 1992, Arkansas' first year in the SEC, a 24-24 tie.
The most memorable game in the series, played on a snowy afternoon in Fayetteville, was a pivotal point in Auburn's undefeated 1993 season under first-year head coach Terry Bowden. One of the most valuable players? Auburn's equipment manager.
FRIDAY:
Instead of trying to focus on the eagle with binoculars you're not allowed to take into the stadium on Saturday (at least inside a case--see details on Auburn's prohibited item list here), get up close and personal the night before at Football, Fans and Feathers at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine's Southeastern Raptor Center. It's become a favorite Friday fan fun-tivity in recent years. And you don't just get to peep the eagles--$5 gets you photo ops with eagles, hawks, owls, falcons and any other birds of prey Auburn's wing-healing beast masters have on hand. And you get to see them fly around. It's cool. It's educational. The hour-long show starts at 4 p.m. the Friday before every Auburn home game at the 350-seat Edgar B. Carter Educational Amphitheater, located at 1350 Pratt-Carden Drive off Shug Jordan Parkway. Kids three and under and get in for free.
If raptors aren't your thing, you can tour of Auburn's fancy new 16,000 square feet locker room from 4-6 p.m. at Jordan-Hare Stadium's Gate 10. Or head to the Auburn Alumni Center on S. College Street for a 4 p.m. campus tour courtesy of the War Eagle Girls and Plainsmen.
After that, you can send the team off for the night in style at the Reverse Tiger Walk, which starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Athletics Complex.
Here's what you can expect:
At 6 p.m. head to Toomer's for 2018's first Come Home to The Corner for live music and stuff featuring Sid Phelps. It's classified as an Entertainment District event, which means you can walk around with a beer in your hand without going to jail. The party goes to 9 p.m.
If you want some air conditioning, mosey on over to Auburn Arena at 7 p.m. to catch Auburn Volleyball in its SEC opener against Tennessee. It's Game Show Night! Think spinning wheel and prizes.
SATURDAY:
You can find a detailed schedule of events here, but here's a quick breakdown of Saturday's essentials.
The Coca-Cola Tigers Fan Fest starts at 2:30 p.m. Giveaways. Bounce houses. A DJ. You can find out more here.
At around 4:30 p.m., take your Sharpies to the Verizon Autograph Tent on the east campus green for autographs from former Auburn greats.
Of course, chances are you'll also want to hit Tiger Walk, which starts at the same time. The often imitated, never duplicated tradition starts at the Athletic Complex on S. Donahue Drive will start, as always, two hours before kickoff. You'll want to find a spot early.
Here's what Tiger Walk looked like last week:
After Tiger Walk comes the short Spirit March, at 5:10 p.m., then a pep rally at the corner of Heisman Drive and Donahue Drive.
If you didn't see the eagle flight, did you even go to the game? It's debatable. To be safe, make sure you're in your seat, cameras ready, by 6:23 p.m. Gates open at 4:30 p.m.
TAILGATING
You may not think of Auburn as some tailgating must-visit like the Grove or whatever. But maybe you should.
Campus technically doesn't open to tailgating until 4 p.m. Friday (and not until 6 p.m. for the Mell Street Corridor).
You can unload your gear at any of these five designated spots: Transportation Tech Center (Magnolia Avenue), Goodwin Music Hall (Samford Avenue), Mell Street Station (Mell Street), Intramural Fields (Biggio Drive), Facilities Division (Samford Avenue). You can find approved tailgating areas here.
Auburn has a few requirements for grill and generator use. First of all, they can't be within 50 feet of a campus building. Secondly, the grill actually has to be a grill, i.e. something specifically designed for grilling. If it's of the charcoal variety, soak that sucker with water before you even think about taking off, then take the thoroughly, completely, absolutely extinguished charcoal to one of the designated disposal containers or find a place for it off campus somewhere. Learn more about the do's and dont's here.
Glass containers? Auburn doesn't technically prohibit them, not yet. They just strongly discourage them.
They even musically discourage them.
WATER!
The big gameday news out of Auburn this week? The decision to allow fans to bring their own water into Jordan-Hare! Thank you global warming!
Sure, it may only be one bottle (clear and plastic and sealed), and no more than a liter. Still, with gameday temps once again in the 90s, that's an athletics program looking out for their fans right there...
Folks can also keep bringing in empty clear bottles to fill up at filtered water stadiums throughout the stadium.
BAG POLICY:
Jordan-Hare, like most major stadiums these days, only allows bags you can see into to make it through the gates. You can get the full scoop here, but this graphic tells you most everything you need to know.
PARKING
If you're faithful in your attendance, you probably already have a favorite secret spot you always try to go for, crossing your fingers, hoping for the best. Want to remove a little of that stress? Well, Auburn's Parking Powers That Be have recently partnered with Parking Panda, which allows fans to pre-order five-hours worth of parking in three lots each only about a five-minute's walk from Jordan-Hare.
TRANSIT
Thankfully, no matter where you park, getting to the stadium doesn't have to equal a week's worth of cardio. The university conscripts its fleet of Tiger Transit buses to offer free rides to Jordan-Hare from spots both on and off campus starting four hours before the game and continuing for two hours after the final whistle. It's pretty convenient. And you can actually track your bus' location and capacity status in real time via the Tiger Transit app.
The Lee-Russell Public Transit folks get in on the action, too, at least for folks staying in any of the hotels around Tiger Town just over the Auburn city limits in Opelika. Same hours, same price: Free.
You can check out various stops and schedules for both services here.
TOOMER'S CORNER
The university has once again asked fans to refrain from rolling the new Toomer's Oaks (or rather the new new Toomer's Oaks), but since fans have established plenty of new targets around Toomer's Corner (and a decent stretch of Samford Lawn), you'll hardly notice.
You can learn more about the history of college football's most Charmin post-game tradition here.
Stay up to date before, during and after the game by following AL.com's Tom Green, and aldotcomSports. And try @AuburnTigers to keep tabs on official gameday doins.