Hugh Freeze fired by Auburn amid 15-19 record in three seasons coaching Tigers

Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze just a day after the Tigers picked up three points in a disappointing home loss to Kentucky, the program’s fifth loss in six games this season against SEC competition CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello, Matt Zenitz and Richard Johnson.

The Tigers fell to 1-5 in conference play midway through Freeze’s third season, with bowl hopes hanging by a thread at 4-5 overall with games against Vanderbilt, Mercer and Alabama remaining. Auburn had won 19 of its previous 20 matchups with Kentucky dating back to 1967.

Defensive coordinator DJ Durkin will serve as the team’s interim coach, Marcello reports.

This will be the third time since 2020 that the Tigers will be looking for a new coach, meaning Auburn will foot the bill. for another important buyout as well.

Freeze’s buyout from Auburn is $15.4 million, nearly identical to the total the Tigers paid Bryan Hars through eight games in his sophomore season in 2022, amid internal program failures and on-field struggles. Freeze signed a six-year contract worth $39 million that same year.

Shooting chants from the student section erupted during Auburn’s loss to Kentucky and persisted even after the final whistle. The Wildcats notched seven sacks against a sputtering attack led by Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels, who made his first start for Auburn amid season-long issues with Jackson Arnold.

In short, Freeze’s new attack, infused with portal talents, never took off in 2025.

“I wish I could ask for patience, but it’s not really something people want to give in to these days, but I understand that,” Freeze said after the match in his appeal to fans. “I just know we’re so close, and if we had a few things to do earlier in the year, we’d be looking at a whole different deal. But that’s not the case, and that’s life. And that’s the game of football and it teaches us a lot of great things and a lot of hard things. We’re going to get up and go get ready for the next one.

“I would love their patience. But I understand that you probably don’t get patience from them, because they want to see a better product on the field and I do too. So, I understand that.”

Auburn lost at least four games in SEC play in each of Freeze’s seasons, which set a new low mark for the program. Freeze leaves Auburn with a 15-19 overall record, including a 6-16 mark in conference play.

It’s the worst start to three years for an Auburn coach since 1951-53, when Ralph Jordan had a 14-16-1 record. College Football Hall of Famer Jordan, however, showed progress in that third year with a 7-3-1 record and led the Tigers until his retirement after the 1975 season.

Freeze is also the first Auburn coach since 1950 to go at least three seasons without a winning record against league opponents.

Hugh Freeze’s tenure as Auburn coach

Auburn entered the 2025 season with high expectations thanks to Freeze’s recruiting efforts and what appeared to be — at least on paper — an improved offense. The Tigers had one of the deepest receiving rooms in college football, highlighted by stars like Cam Coleman and top transfer Eric Singleton.

They also made a big move by landing former five-star prospect and Oklahoma starter Jackson Arnold at quarterback. Auburn even climbed as high as 22nd in the AP Top 25 amid a 3-0 start in non-conference play, highlighted by an impressive road win over Baylor in which the Tigers scored 38 points.

Then they hit a wall. They failed to score 20 points in each of their first four SEC games. Arnold went three straight games, from Auburn’s Sept. 27 loss to Texas A&M through its loss to Missouri, without a single passing touchdown.

Arnold was also benched against Arkansas, as the Tigers turned to former Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels late in the first half.

Auburn is the third SEC school to make a midseason coaching change in 2025, following in the footsteps of the Razorbacks, who left Sam Pittman on September 28and Florida, who fired Billy Napier two weeks ago.