AFLAC KICKOFF GAME: BAYLOR VS. AUBURN

September 5, 2026

Micah Gifford

Gavin Freeman

Baylor Bears

Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Postgame Press Conference

Auburn - 17, Baylor - 16

Q. Micah, defense balled out today. I think three picks, five sacks. Just how good did that feel just in terms of how you played?

MICAH GIFFORD: It felt really good to put it all together on the field. We've been really just putting in so much work, just been in the lab with Klando. Just everyone on the defense really just putting in their all, doing their 1/11th. And it just felt good to be able to see it on the paper and see the results.

Q. Gavin, can you describe what it was like on the final drive for the offense? And then I assume you guys expected that if you scored, you were gonna go for two?

GAVIN FREEMAN: Yep, you know that last drive, we had nothing in our mind but playing the game, next play, next-play mentality. No matter what happens, just keep going. And obviously we're trying to score. And I have faith in my guys, and we had all faith going forward because that's what we do in practice. That's what we practice all the time is winning the game.

Q. Gavin, did you expect a game like this for yourself kind of on your Baylor debut?

GAVIN FREEMAN: It's just playing football. If it comes my way, it comes my way. But anything I can do catch-wise, run-wise, block-wise for the team, my teammates, anything I can do, it's all good to me.

Q. Gavin, in the moment, did you think that Matthew maybe got in on that last play?

GAVIN FREEMAN: From my view, I mean, it kind of looked like, because it was split second, it kind of looked like it could have went either way.

Q. Micah, despite the feeling and it sucking and all that, is this a game that you feel like you all can build from for the rest of the season?

MICAH GIFFORD: Definitely. We're definitely going to build off this. We're going to be 10 times better, I promise you.

Q. Micah, is there a confidence that comes from a coach that where y'all are going for it on fourth down and you're going for two to try to win the game and doing those kind of things?

MICAH GIFFORD: Could you rephrase that?

Q. Obviously Aranda is not afraid to go for it in a big situation. I mean, as a team, do you guys appreciate that?

MICAH GIFFORD: Yeah, we do. We always believe. That's one thing we always got -- we always got the belief in us. So we always -- I believe in these guys. I'm 100 percent positive that they're gonna go in and do their job, do what they gotta do. So I mean, I love it. We all love it.

Q. Coach Aranda just said out here that this could potentially be the grittiest team he's been around at Baylor. What does that mean to you? What does big gritty mean to you?

GAVIN FREEMAN: As a football player, personally, that's like one of the most top-tier things you can get compliment-wise, the most grittiest team. Because that's how football is. It's just gritty no matter what.

We've been practicing like that and nobody practices like us and that comes from Coach Aranda and the strength staff. That comes from the whole staff training us mentally, physically.

So whenever we get gritty, we expect that because that's how we practice. That's how we play. That means a lot to us.