It’s been a challenging stretch for Auburn football over the past five years. Frequent coaching changes, struggles on the recruiting trail, and a lack of success on the field have left the program searching for stability and identity.
Following the turbulent Bryan Harsin era, which lasted just two seasons and yielded little progress, there was renewed hope with the arrival of Hugh Freeze as head coach. The expectations were clear: rebuild the program, restore Auburn’s competitive edge, and return to national relevance.
On the recruiting front, Freeze has delivered. Auburn has landed back-to-back top-10 recruiting classes and brought in impressive transfer hauls, significantly boosting the roster’s talent. However, the increased talent has yet to produce results in the win column, and as Freeze enters his third season, questions are beginning to mount about his long-term future on the Plains.
Despite the outside noise, team leaders insist the program is heading in the right direction. Sixth-year senior offensive lineman Jeremiah Wright emphasized the internal belief within the team.
“There may be one feeling outside our complex, but I can tell you there’s a much different feeling inside our complex, what we’re working toward and what Coach Freeze is building,” Wright told ESPN. “We’re a lot closer than people think to getting Auburn back to where it’s supposed to be, and that’s winning championships.”
Still, the reality remains: Auburn hasn’t won more than seven games in a season since 2019, and the program is in the midst of its longest AP Poll drought in 47 years. While championship aspirations remain the ultimate goal, simply delivering a winning season in 2025 would be a meaningful step toward restoring confidence and momentum.