Spring is in full swing and for those making their way to The Plains to catch some spring football action, there will be plenty of things to do surrounding Auburn Football’s annual A-Day game set to kick off at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 8 inside Jordan-Hare Stadium.
First-year Auburn head football coach Hugh Freeze will provide a glimpse of what’s to come in the fall as a new era of Auburn football begins in 2023. Freeze comes to Auburn after his most recent stint as head coach of the Liberty Flames where he compiled a record of 34-15 in four winning seasons that included a 3-1 record in bowl games from 2019-22. Prior to that, Freeze saw success in the Southeastern Conference as head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels from 2012-16. Freeze was named the 31st head football coach in Auburn history on Nov. 28, 2022.
This year’s A-Day will provide a chance for fans to get a glimpse of new and returning players on the roster as a new scoring format will be introduced in the spring game. The format will give the defense a lead at the start of the game and the offense will try to catch up, changing things up from a traditional 0-0 score to start the game.
While A-Day and spring football will be the primary focus in Auburn this Saturday, there will be plenty of fun for the entire family throughout the weekend including at Plainsman Park adjacent to Jordan-Hare Stadium.
The Auburn baseball team will get the busy athletic weekend started on Thursday, April 6 at 7 p.m. for the first of a three-game series against the Texas A&M Aggies in a crucial SEC West matchup as both teams look to make a move up the standings. The final two games of the series will take place on Friday, April 7 beginning with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. and game two beginning 45 minutes after the conclusion of game one. The originally scheduled game for Saturday was bumped up to Friday due to the potential for inclement weather on Saturday.
Keeping with the theme of baseball, two more fun events will be happening right outside the gates of Plainsman Park on Saturday, April 8 beginning at 9 a.m. as a Vault Pop-Up Shop offering limited edition vintage apparel and exclusive items will be available for purchase in the parking lot of Plainsman Park until 2:30 p.m. Right near the pop-up shop will be a statue unveiling ceremony honoring Auburn baseball legend Frank Thomas at 10 a.m. The first-ballot MLB Hall of Famer hit 521 career home runs and was a five-time All-Star in a professional career that spanned from 1990-2008.
In the hours leading up to A-Day on Saturday, the free Coca-Cola Fan Zone on the Campus Green Space will open at 10 a.m. offering inflatables, giveaways, and more. Tickets for A-Day cost $10 and gates will open at 11 a.m.
For fans that are able to stick around through the weekend, a trip to the new Buc-ee’s travel center in Auburn on Monday, April 10 for the 6 a.m. grand opening will be a must visit. The 53,470 square-foot travel center is located off Exit 50 on Interstate-85 at 2500 Buc-ee’s Boulevard in Auburn. For those unfamiliar with the giant travel center, the Auburn location will feature 120 fueling stations, an abundance of snacks, meals, beverages and more. Buc-ee’s customers are known for loving their Texas barbecue, wide selection of beef jerky, homemade fudge and other desserts, apparel and gifts, cheap fuel and extremely clean restrooms.
While A-Day will be the main draw in Auburn on Saturday, April 8, visitors can expect a weekend full of fun that’s sure to please the entire family!
(This story originally appeared on SoulGrown, an affiliate of Yellowhammer Multimedia)
