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 continue an early look at Auburn’s 2024 schedule with the first home game in more than a month.

WHO: Vanderbilt (2-10 last season, 0-8 SEC)

WHEN: Nov. 2, Early (11 a.m. — noon CT)

WHERE: Jordan-Hare Stadium (88,043)

SERIES: Auburn leads 22-21-1

WHAT’S NEW: Going into his fourth season at Vanderbilt, Clark Lea brought in six new assistant coaches including offensive coordinator Tim Beck, running backs coach Ghaali Muhammad-Lankford and safeties coach Melvin Rice from New Mexico State, who all helped engineer NMSU’s upset at Auburn last season. Lea also added offensive line coach Chris Klenakis from Nevada and promoted both Jeff LePak from quality control assistant to tight ends coach and special teams coordinator, and Jamaal Richardson from defensive quality control to cornerbacks coach. Lea is also planning to take on the duties of defensive coordinator.

Vanderbilt added 21 players from the transfer portal including quarterbacks Diego Pavia from NMSU and Nate Johnson from Utah, who will compete for the starting job this fall. At least three transfer are expected to start on the offensive line and a couple will have to step in at wide receiver after VU’s top four receivers from last season transferred out. NMSU tight end transfer Eli Stowers is expected to be a key part of the passing game. Top defensive transfers include defensive linemen Khordae Sydnor from Purdue and Jaylin Wood from MTSU, and defensive backs Randon Fontenette from TCU, Marlon Jones Jr. from Eastern Washington and Kolbey Taylor from Wyoming. VU’s highest-rated freshman signee, Dontae Carter, is expected to contribute or potentially start at safety.

WHO TO WATCH, OFFENSE: Running back Sedrick Alexander had a solid true freshman season last year leading VU with 371 yards and four touchdowns on 96 carries. He also had 18 receptions for 133 yards.

WHO TO WATCH, DEFENSE: Safety CJ Taylor enters his senior season as a preseason All-SEC player after totaling 55 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss, 3.0 sacks, three pass breakups and two interceptions last year.

OUTLOOK: Auburn won 31-15 at Vanderbilt last season as the Commodores lost their final 10 games of the season and finished winless in the conference. All the additions from New Mexico State will be an interesting story going into this game but Auburn should have more talent than VU at just about every position. VU hasn’t had an NFL Draft pick since 2021. This is a game Auburn should win handily after a tough month on the road, but learned last year it can’t take any team lightly.

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