AUBURN — Damari Alston marinated on it Monday night. This Friday, he'll be playing in the sort of game he has "dreamed of."

"(It's a) primetime game for the first game," the Auburn football running back said Tuesday. "I don't think, since I've been here, that we've played a big game our first game. I'm so excited for that, and excited to put on a show with my brothers."

Alston's right. The fourth-year tailback has yet to start a season away from, let alone against a Power Four opponent, like he will against Baylor on Friday (7 p.m. CT, FOX). His seasons have with home contests against the FCS or Group of Five — Alabama A&M, UMass and Mercer, in particular. But that hasn't always been Auburn 's recent history.

The past five seasons have all been the same circumstance of a lower-l

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