Coming off of a 73-3 season-opening win over Alabama A&M, Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers now turn their attention to the Cal Golden Bears in the second game of the two programs’ home-and-home agreement.

Last September, the Tigers made the 2,500-mile trek to Berkeley and secured a narrow, 14-10 win over the Golden Bears.

Now, it’s time for Auburn to play host for a game that’s set to kickoff from Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Follow along as Freeze starts the week with his press conference previewing Saturday’s matchup:

• Freeze opens his press conference in saying there’s plenty to be pleased with after Saturday. He adds Auburn’s student section, cheerleaders, band and fans all helped convince the recruits in attendance that Auburn is a special place.
• “I thought the effort was really, really good,” Freeze said of Saturday’s win over Alabama A&M. Says he thought the defense tackled well and special teams was a positive.
• “Towns did a really good job for us there,” Freeze said of freshman kicker Towns McGough.
• Freeze said there are also plenty of positives to take from the offense, which only committed one penalty. However, the two turnovers are a still a concern.
• Looking ahead to Cal, Freeze says the Golden Bears are largely the same on defense and he commends Cal head coach Justin Wilcox for being one of the better defensive coaches in the country.
• “Will they play us the same exact way they did last year? I don’t know,” Freeze said of the Cal defense. “But last year they were basically saying we’re going to make you throw the football and win some one-on-ones.”
• “We’re going to have to get ready for tempo. They go fast,” Freeze says of the Cal offense. “They are a new offense. It’s different.”
• Freeze says Auburn defensive back Champ Anthony has been dealing with a calf strain and was held back some on Saturday. Meanwhile, defensive tackle Isaiah Raikes should be good to go this coming week after being held back against Alabama A&M.
• On the Auburn defensive line: “We rotated a lot of guys in there and thought they were solid against the run, but we didn’t crush the pocket really well.”
• “I continue to see six to seven guys in there, I hope,” Freeze says of the defensive line.
• “We have some improving to do. We can’t panic and get so handsy,” Freeze said of the young defensive backs.
• “Really good with it. There were a few routes that were a little short but outside of that there really weren’t any (missed assignments),” Freeze said of the freshman wide receivers. Freeze admits the game planning wasn’t as extensive for Alabama A&M, but will be a bit more so for Cal.