Well, Auburn pulled the trigger. Hugh Freeze is out after another ugly loss, this one a 10-3 clunker against Kentucky. The Tigers dropped to 4-5 on the season, and at this point, it’s hard to call the decision surprising. The guy went 6-16 in SEC play and 15-19 overall. That’s not cutting it anywhere, but especially not in a place that expects more than just making it through the year without getting booed out of the stadium.
This wasn’t some slow burn to the finish either. Fans have been fed up for weeks. After Freeze failed to get the offense going again Saturday, and with the Tigers staring at a third straight losing season, the call came down. He’s gone. And now Auburn joins the long list of schools already eyeballing the next guy.
There’s a decent chunk of buyout money involved, but when has that ever stopped an SEC program from resetting the whole operation? It’s not about money anymore. It’s about direction, and this one’s been off track for a while.
So where does Auburn go now? That’s the interesting part. This coaching carousel is already spinning with some big names out there, and Auburn’s job might be more attractive than it looks on paper. The roster isn’t a total mess, the facilities are elite, and the NIL backing is real. But patience is thin, and whoever steps in next is going to have about a two-year runway before the heat turns back on.
From a Big 12 perspective, there’s always some trickle-down when one of these jobs opens up. You’ve got to think guys like Kenny Dillingham or even Matt Campbell will be floated just because they’ve got buzz. Whether Auburn actually pulls someone from the Big 12 is a different story, but don’t be shocked when names start getting tossed around.
It’s not shocking. It’s just Auburn being Auburn. Now the real drama starts.
