With a Week 1 matchup against Baylor on deck, Auburn appears close to beginning the 2025 college football season at full strength. The biggest concern was star receiver Eric Singleton, for whom head coach Hugh Freeze provided a massive update on Monday.
Freeze said that Singleton, who suffered a minor injury late in the offseason, is “close” to 100 percent and will likely “give it a go” against Baylor, according to On3 Sports reporter Justin Hokanson. The wideout suffered a bone bruise in his knee as the team began fall practices.
If he is cleared, Singleton's presence would be a massive lift for a new-look Tigers offense. Auburn underwhelmed in 2024, but brought in one of the best college football transfer portal classes. Freeze nabbed former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold in the portal, in addition to Singleton Horatio Fields.
After two stellar years at Georgia Tech, Singleton was the consensus top receiver in the 2024-2025 college football transfer portal. After careful consideration, he opted to sign with Auburn due to his potential with Arnold under center in Freeze's dynamic offense.
The Tigers expect Singleton to lead their 2025 receiving corps and become one of the best receivers in the SEC. He will likely join top returning receivers Cam Coleman and Malcolm Simmons in the starting lineup in Week 1.
Auburn looks to begin 2025 season on right foot against Baylor
The opener against Baylor is not a top-25 matchup, but it will be a crucial first step for both teams. Auburn enters the game having won its last eight season openers, but has not played away from home in Week 1 since 2019.
Although both teams struggled at times in 2024, Baylor ended with the better record. The Bears ended the regular season on a 6-0 run to become bowl eligible, but lost in the Texas Bowl to LSU. Their 8-5 record was still much better than that of Auburn, which went just 5-7 on the year.
The Tigers' disappointing 2024 season marked their second losing record in as many years under Freeze. Entering year three, Freeze is already dangerously close to the hot seat, given the expectations his new team has. The controversial head coach had previously led Ole Miss to four winning seasons in five years before resigning amid allegations of recruiting violations.
