In the 2025-26 college football season, the Auburn Tigers look primed to break out after a good offseason grade. The grade signals a legitimate 2025 breakout under their head coach, Hugh Freeze. This upcoming season could define his time at Auburn and his legacy in the SEC.
Freeze fixed his team in the offseason. After two seasons of less-than-stellar play and disappointing overall results, the coach hit the transfer portal hard to put together several stellar recruiting classes. However, no Auburn coach in 50 years had had two losing seasons and survived the third. So it’s truly do or die for Freeze.
Why Auburn’s Strong Offseason Moves Under Hugh Freeze Could Lead To a Breakout Campaign in 2025
Auburn is climbing fast under Freeze. With a high offseason grade, could the Tigers be this year’s surprise SEC contender?
Auburn’s football haul in the past two recruiting cycles and transfer portal windows has truly sparked some new confidence in the program. In ESPN’s recent list of college football’s top 2025 newcomer classes, the Tigers ranked third, trailing behind the Oregon Ducks and the LSU Tigers.
So far, this offseason, Auburn landed the No. 1 player in the entire transfer portal when they signed wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. In total, the Tigers signed 21 transfers, headlined by Jackson Arnold, Raion Strader, Xavier Chaplin, Mason Murphy, Caleb Wheatland, Dallas Walker IV, Chris Murray, and, of course, Singleton Jr.
Auburn’s sixth-ranked recruiting class of the 2025 cycle was the second straight top-10 class under Freeze’s head coaching. Despite not having a winning season in the last four years, Freeze believes that the Tigers’ offseason moves will truly change the pattern.
“You have to have top-10 recruiting classes in this league to form an elite roster,” Freeze said back in April. “I felt like we could do that at Auburn, and we have in the two recruiting classes we’ve had. And the roster, therefore, looks different.”
Now, Freeze must win games to keep his job. Forget the concept of a raise or incentives; winning in 2025 becomes the mandate. In order to keep Freeze from typing an end date of his tenure, the time is now. However, how many games will save his job? That remains to be seen.
KEEP READING: Why Auburn’s Shifting Expectations Make Them One of CFB’s Most Puzzling Teams
Auburn is primed for a breakout season in 2025-26, and this could make or break Freeze’s career not only for Auburn but in the SEC as a whole. If the offseason grades are any indication, Auburn is due for a dominant season.
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