CFB Analyst Reveals Pressure Rating for Struggling SEC Head Coach originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Auburn Tigers last won 10 games in a college football season in 2017 under Gus Malzahn, who took them to the SEC Championship Game.
Fast forward to 2025, and Auburn is in its third season under Hugh Freeze, who has yet to finish with a winning record. Freeze has one bowl game appearance under his belt, but the Tigers were crushed by the Maryland Terrapins 31-13.
Freeze found himself at No. 2 on the list of top 10 college football coaches facing the most pressure, via On3’s Ari Wasserman. The only head coach who was above Freeze was Brent Venables of the Oklahoma Sooners.
The Auburn head coach’s record entering 2025 is a disappointing 11-14.
However, he is setting a high bar for Auburn this season, predicting that the Tigers would be in the College Football Playoff conversation. Auburn has never made the playoff since it was introduced in 2014. The playoff enters its second year of the 12-team format in 2025.
People like David Pollack believe that Auburn could cause problems for a team like the Georgia Bulldogs, who face the Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium this year.
Freeze will have a completely different-looking team thanks to the transfer portal. Auburn added top transfers like Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets receiver Eric Singleton Jr. and Virginia Tech Hokies offensive tackle Xavier Chaplin.
The program returns talent on both sides of the ball, including receiver Cam Coleman, offensive lineman Bradyn Joiner, and linebacker Demarcus Riddick. ‘
A pivotal year three for Freeze opens with the Baylor Bears on August 29.
Related: Hugh Freeze Explains Auburn’s Approach to Recruiting After Recent Struggles
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
