It is season three for Auburn football under head coach Hugh Freeze. Auburn is set to face Baylor in its opening game of the campaign. This could be a make-or-break season for Freeze, as the team hit the transfer portal hard and look to return to contention in the SEC.
Auburn was a perennial contender under Tommy Tuberville, Gene Chizik, and Gus Malzahn. From 2000 through 2020, they missed bowl games just twice. Further, they won two National Championships and played for a second. Bryan Harsin would take over in 2021, leading them to a bowl game, but would go just 5-7 in 2022, leading to Harsin being dismissed. Freeze led the team to a 6-7 record after a bowl loss in 2023, but just a 5-7 record in 2024. They have not finished a season above .500 since going 6-5 in 2020.
Now, Freeze has brought in Jackson Arnold to be his new quarterback, plus other top-level transfers, in an attempt to get Auburn back on track.
Keldric Faulk stars for Auburn
Keldric Faulk was named one of the Top 100 players in the nation by ESPN. The defensive end played in every game as a freshman, coming away with 36 tackles, a sack, and 20 quarterback pressures. He broke out in 2024, though. Becoming the full-time starter, he had 45 tackles, a pass breakup, a forced fumble, seven sacks, and 45 quarterback pressures.
Further, the 6-foot-6, 285-pound end has improved his speed. His first step has continually gotten better, allowing him to get around offensive tackles. Further, he has the size and power to bull rush or break through double teams when a tight end or running back helps out.
Faulk is also great against the run. PFF gave him a 83.4 run defense grade in 2024, making him one of the best defensive linemen in the SEC against the run. He is not a one-trick pony, playing just in passing situations for the offense. He can play every down and make an impact on every play.
Being a major impact player is going to happen this year for Faulk. Nick Fairley owns the Auburn record for sacks in a season, coming away with 11.5 sacks in 2010. Faulk has all the skills to break that record and will be in a situation to do just that. Auburn fans need to enjoy this season with their star defensive end, as he could easily be a top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Jackson Arnold is not the starting QB at end of season
Arnold was the crown jewel of the transfer class coming in. He was a former five-star recruit out of Texas. Arnold's mobility has impressed the Tigers' QB coach so far. Regardless, Arnold has not been great in his career. In his first season at Oklahoma, he threw for 563 yards, making just one start. In that one start, he threw two touchdowns, but also was picked off three times.
Arnold improved in 2024, but still threw for only 1,421 yards, while also missing two games. There are two reasons he will not be the starting quarterback to end the season. First is the fact that he relies heavily on his legs. This will put him in a position to get hit, something he has struggled with. SEC defenders will gladly take that opportunity, and it could cost Arnold time on the field.
Second, while Arnold is the starter, Freeze has already incidentally stirred up quarterback controversy. Freeze said that Auburn plans to use all three quarterbacks against Baylor in week 1.
Deuce Knight, the talented freshman, could see time, but the coaching staff has been impressed by another transfer. Ashton Daniels has reportedly looked great in practice and had great mobility as well. Auburn needs a bounce-back season, and if Arnold is struggling, Daniels will become the starter for the Tigers.
A pink slip is issued to Hugh Freeze
Freeze is clearly on the hot seat in 2025. Since Pat Dye took over in 1981, only one coach has missed back-to-back bowl games without having NCAA sanctions forcing the fact. That was Dye in 1991 and 1992. He would be replaced for the 1993 season by Terry Bowden. A bowl game is a minimum for Hugh Freeze this year, which will require six wins.
The Auburn schedule could make it difficult to make it to six wins. They open on the road against Baylor, which could easily be a loss. Then, they have a three-game stretch in which they face Oklahoma and Texas A&M on the road, followed by Georgia at home. They do have an off-week before Georgia, but beating the Bulldogs is a tough task. Sitting at 2-4 after six games into the season, making it to six wins with Missouri, Vanderbilt, and Alabama still on the schedule a tall order.
Even a 6-6 season may not be enough if they finish towards the bottom of the SEC again. Auburn has not shown patience with mediocrity in recent years. Malzahn was fired in 2020 after the program struggled at the end of the year. Harsin got less than two years before being let go. Now, if Freeze does not turn things around quickly, he will be the next to go.
