After a long, long wait, it’s officially time that shoe meets leather and Auburn kicks off not only the start of the 2023 football season, but the start of the Hugh Freeze era, too.

Saturday’s matchup against UMass is set to be the “reveal party” for Freeze, a new-look Auburn offense and more than 40 new players on the Tigers’ roster.

Making a play on Freeze’s name, Tigers’ fans were encouraged to wear white. And while Auburn might not get a Penn State-like turnout, the execution wasn’t bad and Auburn’s student section certainly held up on its end of the bargain.

With less than an hour until kickoff, fans are continuing to file into what’s slated to be a sold out Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Keep up with all the action as Auburn hosts UMass in Game 1 of the 2023 season:

1:45 p.m. | Auburn RB Jarquez Hunter, others in street clothes

There was no shortage of speculation about whether Auburn junior running back Jarquez Hunter would see the field on Saturday after a controversial offseason.

Given Hunter emerged from the tunnel in sweatpants during Auburn’s pregame warmups, it’s safe to say Hunter won’t be taking the field against UMass today.

Also in street clothes during pregame warmups were WR Nick Mardner and defensive backs Nehemiah Pritchett, Caleb Wooden and JD Rhym.

Meanwhile, backup quarterback Robby Ashford, who Freeze said suffered an oblique strain earlier in the week, was dressed and warming up for the Tigers.