Hugh Freeze might not be the head coach of Auburn much longer if he keeps losing SEC games
The Auburn Tigers have now dropped four straight games to start SEC play for the third consecutive season under Hugh Freeze, following a crushing overtime loss to Missouri on Saturday. Although each defeat came against a top-20 opponent, the losing streak has become a serious concern.
Head coach Hugh Freeze finds himself squarely on the hot seat—and he’s well aware of it. After the game, when asked about his job status, the team’s struggles, and their recurring issues, Freeze addressed the question that’s been on every fan’s mind.
Hugh Freeze answers question about his fit as head coach with Auburn Tigers
There was really only one question that needed to be asked of Hugh Freeze after another frustrating Auburn loss on Saturday—and the media wasted no time asking it following the 23-17 overtime defeat to Missouri.
“When the results continue to look like this, what would you say to fans, alumni, and everyone who cares about this program about why you and your staff are still the right people to lead Auburn forward?”
Freeze’s response was frank and emotional, and his expression made it clear he knew the question was coming:
“Listen, we all know what we signed up for. And I certainly believe we embody what Auburn stands for. But Auburn is also about winning football games. We’ll be back at work Monday, getting our kids ready to play Arkansas. These players are giving everything they have, and I know we’ve improved the talent here. Ultimately, though, you’ve got to win. That’s the bottom line. I don’t make those decisions—I just know that I’ve been called to lead these young men through a tough time, even though it’s not easy.”
He continued, “When you’re called to stand firm and do your job, you do it with faith and commitment until that time ends. I believe we’re close. I know fans are tired of hearing that—I’m tired of saying it—but it’s true. This stretch has come against four really good teams, and we’ve had chances to win every one of them. At some point, those games are going to start breaking our way.”
It’s true that Hugh Freeze and his staff have upgraded Auburn’s talent level since the Bryan Harsin era, which left the roster in shambles and the program barely resembling a competitive SEC team in 2021 and 2022. But as Freeze himself admitted, talent alone isn’t enough—you eventually have to win football games.
Yes, this recent four-game stretch against Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Georgia, and Missouri was brutal, but that’s life in the SEC. Freeze is being paid to find ways to compete and win against the nation’s best, and so far, the Tigers haven’t been able to do that under his leadership.
This issue goes beyond just this season. Auburn is 14–18 overall since Freeze took over and has started 0–4 in SEC play three straight years. The offense has never averaged 28 points per game in a season during his tenure, and in three years, they’ve managed to score more than 24 points against an SEC opponent only four times. That’s simply not good enough.
While Freeze insists the Tigers are “close”—and the numbers do back that up, with their last four losses coming by an average of just seven points—close doesn’t count in a conference like this. Unless Auburn can close the season strong with wins over Arkansas, Kentucky, and at least one of Vanderbilt or Alabama, fans will have every reason to expect the university to move on from Hugh Freeze sooner rather than later.
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