Auburn's Hugh Freeze Has a CFP Berth In Mind In His Prove-It Year
SEC Media Days kicked off today, and Coach Hugh Freeze didn’t shy away from setting bold expectations for his third season at Auburn. Despite a disappointing 11–14 record over the past two years, Freeze made it clear: he believes the Tigers can make a push for the College Football Playoff.
Auburn's Hugh Freeze: "I expect we'll be in (College Football) playoff run, we'll be in the discussion. We need the ball to bounce our way instead of against us. The future's very bright in our eyes"
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 15, 2025
Today's focus will be on the offense and special teams. There is no question that Auburn struggled offensively last year. The inconsistency in QB performance, offensive line woes, and turnovers plagued the season. It might be hard to believe, but the news is trending towards positive in 2025. Hugh Freeze is confident that Oklahoma transfer QB Jackson Arnold is a perfect fit for his scheme. “The system I want to run and does he have the skillset for that? There’s no question in my mind that he does and that’s why we went after Jackson,” stated a confident Freeze during Auburn's SEC media day.
Hugh Freeze says there is no question in his mind that quarterback Jackson Arnold is a great fit in his system.
— Jonathon Hoppe (@jahop23) July 15, 2025
-Says he's loved him since high school
-Was impressed by his toughness last year during a challenging season, specifically against Alabama @WBRCnews pic.twitter.com/9DnmltAQHB
Coming into this season, Auburn has more talent on offensive line than it has had in a long time. All projected starters were starters in 2024 with a combined 140 career starts. Led by Junior center Connor Lew, Pro Football Focus (PFF) has Auburn's offensive line as seventh-best going into 2025.
On the special teams front, improvement is just as critical. Auburn suffered a disastrous 2024 special teams performance. Punter Oscar Chapman posted the SEC’s third-lowest punt average, while All-SEC kicker Alex McPherson missed time due to ongoing gastrointestinal issues. Replacements Towns McGough and Ian Vachon struggled in his absence. By the end of the season, Auburn had the worst field-goal unit in the nation.
There is reason for optimism, however. McPherson is underwent surgery in December of 2024 and returns in 2025. Auburn also made a coaching change, replacing special teams coordinator Tanner Burns with former Georgia Southern head coach Chad Lunsford. With Chapman gone, Oklahoma State transfer Hudson Kaak will take over punting duties. Kaak averaged 43.13 yards on 30 punts last year, with a long of 51 yards and 11 kicks downed inside the 20.
Ultimately, Freeze’s vision for improvement may not rest on one superstar, but on countless small upgrades—a thousand tiny gains rather than a Cam Newton-sized leap. With the season now less than 50 days away, expect plenty more developments as Auburn eyes a breakthrough year under Hugh Freeze. Follow along with me here at The Plains Report.
