Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn realizes the difficult matchup his team faces in its season opener against Clemson on Sept. 3. Malzahn commented on what it would mean to defeat the reigning ACC Champions in Week 1 during SEC Media Days on Monday.

“It would be huge. There’s no doubt. Deshaun Watson is maybe the best player in the country, he’s phenomenal,” Malzahn said. “We’re playing at home. We’ve had success with first games in the past. I’m excited about it and it’s going to be a heck of a game.

“(These are) things to motivate you. The urgency’s been very good. We’re going to find out where we’re at early, which I like as a head coach.”

Clemson returns eight offensive players from its 2015 team — which lost 45-40 to Alabama in the College Football Playoff Final — including Watson, running back Wayne Gallman and wide receivers Hunter Renfrow and Artavis Scott.

Auburn finished seventh in the SEC West after entering the 2015 season as the favorite to win the SEC Championship, according to a poll taken during SEC Media Days. Malzahn, who led the Tigers to a BCS title game in his first season as head coach in 2013 and won a national championship as an offensive coordinator in 2010, faces the hottest seat of his coaching career and will need to show improvement in his fourth season.