It would be a first for his program.
Head Coach of Struggling Program Predicts College Football Playoff Appearance in 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze has one bowl game appearance under his belt since taking the job in 2023.
He took the program to the Music City Bowl, but lost 31-13 to the Maryland Terrapins.
One thing that Auburn has never done is reach the College Football Playoff, but Freeze thinks that will change this season. At SEC Media Days on Tuesday, Freeze predicted the Tigers would be in the playoff hunt, per On3's Justin Hokanson.
The postseason has not been kind to Auburn, with its last bowl game victory coming in 2018 under former head coach Gus Malzahn.
"I believe we'll be in that discussion," Freeze said.
The Tigers bolstered their roster in the offseason through the transfer portal. The major additions include quarterback Jackson Arnold from the Oklahoma Sooners, receiver Eric Singleton Jr. from the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and offensive tackle Xavier Chaplin from the Virginia Tech Hokies.
It would be a massive leap for the program if Auburn reaches its first playoff, considering Freeze has an 11-14 record through two seasons. He has especially struggled in games against the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs.
However, David Pollack thinks Auburn could be a problem for the Bulldogs in 2025, with the game being at Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Tigers have not won against the Bulldogs since the 2018 season.
Arnold threw three interceptions all of last season, but also fumbled the ball nine times. On3's JD PicKell named turnovers as Auburn's Achilles Heel last season, but thinks Arnold could be the key to unlock the Tigers' offense if the mistakes are limited.
Related: Hugh Freeze Explains Auburn's Approach to Recruiting After Recent Struggles
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
