Auburn is looking to pull off a major upset, while Clemson will to try to bounce back following its loss to Alabama in last season’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The teams have Kevin Steele in common as Auburn’s new defensive coordinator has now coached at both schools.

Here’s a look at how they match up for their opener on Saturday night at Jordan-Hare Stadium (9 p.m. ET, ESPN):

When Clemson has the ball

QB Deshaun Watson vs. Auburn pass defense: Here’s a scary thought. Against Alabama a little more than seven months ago, Watson burned a pretty good unit for 405 passing yards and 4 TDs. He did throw a pick, but it was the Tide’s worst performance of the season by its pass defense.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Auburn has a decent secondary in cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Javaris Davis along with safeties Rudy Ford and Tray Matthews. But Watson has so many weapons at his disposal — including wideout Mike Williams, who missed last season with a fractured neck bone after compiling 1,030 receiving yards in 2014 — it’s almost unfair.

Seven of Clemson’s top nine receivers return from a year ago, including four players who had at least 5 TD catches. But if Auburn gets some semblance of a pass rush, which it didn’t have much of last season, it might be able to force Watson to beat it with his feet. That isn’t the best option, but it will keep him from to trying to find all his targets.

EDGE: Clemson

RB Wayne Gallman vs. Auburn run defense — Gallman ran for a Clemson record 1,527 yards, which was second in the ACC last season and 13th in the FBS. Under defensive coordinator Will Muschamp in 2015, Auburn ranked 81st in the FBS against the run, allowing 182.7 yards per game.

Montravius Adams is AU’s best run-stopper and should help Steele improve upon that ranking. The biggest concern for Auburn might be when Gallman reaches the second level of the defense.

AU has no returning starting linebackers. Illinois transfer T.J. Neal and Tre’ Williams, Deshaun Davis and Montavious Atkinson will be counted on to contain Gallman if he gets past the line. We’ll also see what first-year linebackers coach Travis Williams comes up with in terms of run-stopping packages.

EDGE: Clemson

WR Artavis Scott vs. Auburn pass defense — The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Scott is Clemson’s leading returning receiver and Watson’s primary target. Last season, he led the team with 93 receptions for 901 yards and added 6 TDs. His biggest performance came against Boston College, posting 10 receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown.

He should draw sophomore Carlton Davis, who made the SEC All-Freshman Team after finishing with 56 tackles, 8 pass breakups and 3 INTs a year ago.

EDGE: Even

When Auburn has the ball

QB Sean White vs. Clemson pass defense: Clemson starts the season with an inexperienced secondary after cornerback Mackensie Alexander and safeties Jayron Kearse and T.J. Green all left early for the NFL. Mark Fields or Ryan Carter will take over for Alexander, while Jadar Johnson and Van Smith will be the starting safeties against Auburn.

Garrett Reid-USA TODAY Sports

Garrett Reid-USA TODAY Sports

White, who won the job after competing with Jeremy Johnson and John Franklin III, is also inexperienced himself. In seven games last season, White completed 58 percent of his 143 passes but threw for only one score.

White wasn’t much of a running threat in 2015, but he might be able to scramble more often now that he has recovered from a knee injury he suffered last year.

EDGE: Even

RB Kerryon Johnson vs. Clemson run defense: Last year, with Peyton Barber and Jovon Robinson getting snaps ahead of him, Johnson served as an all-purpose back, finishing with 208 yards on the ground, 159 as a receiver and 386 on kickoff returns. Against Clemson, he will finally be an every-down back, somewhat of a scary proposition for a guy whose career high in carries is nine.

Don’t be surprised if fellow sophomore Kamryn Pettway gets touches as well. He and Johnson will be looking for holes against a defense that was 18th in the FBS against the run last season but returns only four starters, including tackles Carlos Watkins and Scott Pagano, plus weakside linebacker Ben Boulware.

EDGE: Even

WR Marcus Davis vs. Clemson pass defense: Davis, Auburn’s leading returning receiver, was second on the team with 30 catches last season but just fifth with 181 yards. A year ago, Davis had his best games against SEC teams. His eight catches against Georgia and 49 receiving yards versus Kentucky were career highs. Fields or Carter will draw the assignment.

Davis is going to need help from the likes of Tony Stevens, Jason Smith and Stanton Truitt. Four true freshmen – Kyle Davis, Nate Craig-Myers, Eli Stove and Marquis McClain might have to step it up, too.

EDGE: Even

Special teams

Led by Lou Groza Award finalist Daniel Carlson, Auburn’s major contributors have all returned. Kevin Phillips will handle punts again, Ford, Johnson and Davis will be the kickoff returners and holder Tyler Stovall and long snapper Ike Powell are back for a special teams unit that Pro Football Focus ranked best among Power 5 programs last year.

Clemson was one of only two teams in the nation last season to allow three kickoff returns for touchdowns. The Tigers also ranked 125th out of 127 FBS teams, allowing 117.6 return yards per game.

As bad as Clemson’s special teams coverage units were in 2015, its kicker compares quite favorably with Carlson. Greg Huegel, aka the “grocery store kicker,” led the FBS with 27 field goals and 138 points, which set Clemson’s single-season scoring mark.

Punter Andy Teasdall is not nearly as good as Phillips. He finished 13th in the ACC last season with an average of 39.5 yards per punt.

Auburn allowed only seven punt returns to lead the SEC and finish tied for third in the FBS last season, according to cfbstats.com. Unfortunately for AU, opponents averaged 12.4 yards on those seven returns, a figure that ranked 11th in the conference. A 53-yard punt return by Georgia’s Isaiah McKenzie certainly didn’t help those numbers.

The Tigers also had a weird split on their kickoff return coverage a year ago. They allowed only 18 returns to finish second in the SEC and tie for fourth in the FBS. But Auburn yielded 21.4 yards on those kickoffs, which ranked next to last in the league and 66th in the FBS.

EDGE: Auburn