As the 2025 college football season approaches, Auburn head coach **Hugh Freeze** finds himself under increasing pressure to deliver results. Now entering his third year with the Tigers, Freeze has yet to live up to expectations, posting an underwhelming 11-14 record over two seasons. After a 6-7 debut in 2023, Auburn regressed to 5-7 in 2024, missing a bowl game for the second time in three years—a stark contrast to the program’s nine consecutive bowl appearances prior to 2022.
For a high-profile SEC program like Auburn, this level of performance is unacceptable. Year 3 is shaping up to be a make-or-break season for Freeze, especially with Alabama in transition following Nick Saban’s retirement. As *CBS Sports* notes, Freeze must seize this rare opportunity to capitalize on a vulnerable Crimson Tide program under new head coach Kalen DeBoer—or risk losing his job.
The 2023 Iron Bowl nearly provided a signature moment for Freeze, as Auburn came agonizingly close to upsetting Alabama. However, a miraculous fourth-and-31 touchdown pass from Jalen Milroe to Isaiah Bond with 32 seconds left handed the Tigers a heartbreaking 27-24 loss. The 2024 matchup was far less competitive, with Alabama securing a 28-14 victory in Tuscaloosa.
Freeze’s struggles against ranked opponents further highlight the urgency for improvement. He’s just 1-7 against AP-ranked teams, with his lone win coming against No. 15 Texas A&M late last season.
The bigger question is whether Freeze will even make it to the 2025 Iron Bowl. Auburn’s schedule includes a brutal mid-September stretch featuring back-to-back road games at Oklahoma and Texas A&M, followed by a home showdown against Georgia. If the Tigers falter early and the season spirals out of control, Auburn’s administration may not wait until the end of the year to make a change.
For Freeze, the time to turn things around is now—or his tenure at Auburn could come to an abrupt end.
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