Auburn football defeated a rival undergoing an in-season coaching change in Arkansas. Does that mean Hugh Freeze saved his own job status?

Athletic director John Cohen spoke out about the pending status of the head football coach via CBS Sports. He pointed out the struggles plaguing the team early on.

“We've gotta find a way to get better, and we've had some struggles in the second half offensively,” Cohen mentioned. “Our defense allowed us to have a successful second half. We just gotta keep progressing.”

He also believes the Tigers have become close in a lot of games.
“Every single game we have played has been winnable. Every single game we've played,” he repeated. “Just need to keep getting better.”

How Hugh Freeze saved Auburn job in Arkansas win

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze speaks with Auburn Tigers quarterback Jackson Arnold (11) during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners.
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images.
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Freeze and the Tigers deal with a brief scare — as star wide receiver Cam Coleman left early with a right ankle ailment.

Auburn struggled for most of the afternoon in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks took a 21-10 lead at halftime, which ignited the Freeze critics. Arkansas then carried a 24-16 lead into the fourth quarter.

But Auburn handled the rest of the scoring in the fourth quarter. Rayshawn Pleasant returned a 49-yard interception into the end zone by picking off Taylen Green, handing the Tigers the lead for good at 27-24. Alex McPherson booted the next six points for the Tigers off field goals of 47 and 37 yards.

Freeze even made this bold move on offense: Benching Jackson Arnold for Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels. The latter QB finished 6-of-8 for 77 yards and averaged 9.6 yards per play. Arnold settled for 7-of-12 passing with 73 yards but got yanked after a costly interception.

Jeremiah Cobb wore down the Razorbacks with 28 carries for 153 yards. Daniels added a runner's element by tacking on 35 rushing yards.

Auburn and Freeze finally ended its winless streak in Southeastern Conference (SEC) play. And the head coach halted the unemployment chatter too.