The Auburn Tigers finished the 2024 season with a 5-7 overall record and a 2-6 record in SEC play. However, many observers have noted progress and development under head coach Hugh Freeze, and they expect the Tigers to improve in the upcoming 2025 season.
Most importantly, Auburn has assembled a strong transfer portal class, which could play a key role in their turnaround. ESPN’s Paul Finebaum is among those who believe in Hugh Freeze’s ability to lead the Tigers to success as he enters his third season at the helm.
Paul Finebaum Sees Auburn Improving in 2025 But Says 8 Wins Is the Minimum
As the 2025 college football season draws near, Auburn fans feel hopeful about the team’s future under head coach Hugh Freeze. They expect real improvement, especially after recent upgrades through the transfer portal. But ESPN’s Paul Finebaum says Auburn needs at least eight wins to prove they’re moving forward.
Finebaum, known for his sharp SEC insights, points out that Auburn’s struggles in close games last season hurt their record. The Tigers went 1-3 in games decided by seven points or less. That included a close loss to Ole Miss and an overtime win over Texas A&M.
“Are they good enough? I’m not sure yet. But I think Auburn is trending in the right direction… For Auburn, it’s being competitive in the SEC,” Finebaum said on Jox 94.5 TV. “You can’t lose a game like Vanderbilt at home. You can’t just throw away non-conference games like they did last year against Cal. It’s just little silly things. The Oklahoma game, inexcusable. I just gave you three games that Auburn should have won.”
He believes if Auburn had taken care of those games, their record would have looked much stronger. He added, “Now, you do the math, what’s the record? I mean, they have a pretty good record right now. I think they have to be able to do that.”
Another reason for Auburn’s optimism heading into 2025 is its strong transfer portal class, which features former Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold. Last year, Auburn lacked consistency at quarterback. So, the former Oklahoma Sooners QB is expected to revamp the Tigers’ offense.
“I think the opener is a little bit scary because it’s a hostile situation on the first Friday night with a new quarterback. But, I think they’ll live and die with Jackson Arnold,” Finebaum added. “Ultimately, though, I think it’s a much better team. I think it’s a much better staff, and I think somewhere in that eight-win range would be considered successful.”
Their season kicks off on August 30, 2025, with a non-conference road game against Baylor. The SEC portion of their schedule begins on September 20, 2025, with a road game against Oklahoma. They will play three of their first five games away from home, making the early stretch of the season particularly challenging.
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However, if the Tigers can capitalize on their roster upgrades and coaching stability, they may finally turn the corner and position themselves as SEC contenders once again.
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