It's ratcheting up.
Paul Finebaum Reveals Prominent College Football Coach Facing Surging Job Pressure originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The pressure on several college football coaches is increasing. The season starts in about a month, and fall practice begins this week.
If these coaches do not have better seasons, and in some cases, show improvement early in the season, they may be let go from their respective universities. Hugh Freeze, the head coach of the Auburn Tigers, is one of those coaches under significant pressure.
Freeze has experienced consecutive losing seasons as Auburn's head coach, part of four straight losing seasons for the Tigers. On "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst expressed that he believes Freeze might be under more pressure than previously thought.
"I think Hugh Freeze is under more pressure than we thought maybe a couple of months ago," Finebaum said. "If you look at the schedule, there are at least four games in the first half that are incredibly challenging. How does he do with those four?"
Finebaum stated that following those four games, the schedule notably improves. He believes there isn't a game in the second half of the season that Auburn couldn't win, including the Iron Bowl against the Alabama Crimson Tide at home.
Finebaum believes that if Freeze does not perform well in the upcoming four games against the Baylor Bears, Oklahoma Sooners, Texas A&M Aggies and Georgia Bulldogs, three of which are on the road, he could be fired as the head coach.
If terminated without cause, Freeze will receive 75 percent of the remaining value of his contract, without any offset. He signed a six-year deal before the 2023 season, starting at $6.5 million and increasing by $250,000 each year. For the current season, he is set to earn $7 million. By the end of the 2025 season, this would result in a buyout amounting to nearly $17 million.
Finebaum never disclosed the reasons behind his belief that the pressure is mounting, but it could be related to recruiting. Freeze managed to secure back-to-back top 10 recruiting classes in his first two seasons; however, this year, Auburn is facing challenges. Auburn's recruiting class for the 2026 cycle is ranked No. 70.
The Tigers will start the season on the road against the Bears at 8 p.m. ET on Aug. 29.
Related: Paul Finebaum Delivers Blunt Verdict on Hugh Freeze Amid Auburn’s Struggles
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
