Auburn will be playing in one of the marquee games of the opening weekend of the 2018 season, as the Tigers are scheduled to play Washington in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium Saturday, Sept. 1.

The game should serve as an excellent barometer of where the two teams are to start the season, with both potentially being top 10 preseason teams. While Auburn should have more of a home-field advantage, considering the game’s location being significantly closer to campus than Washington’s, the Huskies recently got some news that may level the playing field.

While Auburn lost both Kerryon Johnson and Kamryn Pettway early to the NFL, Washington found out Sunday night that star running back Myles Gaskin will return for the 2018 season. If you are unfamiliar with the Husky running back, best get used to the name now, you’ll be hearing it plenty this offseason.

Gaskin has rushed for at least 1,300 yards in each of his three collegiate seasons, going for a combined 4,055 yards so far in his career. He’s scored 44 touchdowns on the ground and another four thru the air. While Jake Browning may get more publicity, the Washington offense clearly runs thru Gaskin. If Auburn has any hopes of winning the Week 1 game, they’ll have to limit Washington’s explosive back.

Here’s his return announcement: