Auburn fires head football coach Hugh Freeze after nearly three seasons
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze walks off the field after a loss to Kentucky in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Auburn has fired coach Hugh Freeze just one day after the Tigers only scored a single field goal in a loss to Kentucky at home last night.
Here is the statement from Auburn Athletic Director John Cohen:
“I have informed Coach Freeze of my decision to make a change in leadership with the Auburn Football program. Coach Freeze is a man of integrity, and we are appreciative of his investment in Auburn and his relentless work over the last three years in bolstering our roster. Our expectations for Auburn Football are to annually compete for championships and the search for the next leader of Auburn Football begins immediately.”
Cohen said defensive coordinator DJ Durkin will serve as interim head coach.
Auburn had won 19 of its previous 20 matchups with Kentucky dating back to 1967.
It was Auburn’s fifth loss in six games in the SEC. The Tigers are now 1-5 in conference play, and 4-5 overall with only a small chance of making a bowl game.
The Tigers have Vanderbilt, Mercer and Alabama remaining in the regular season.
This will be the third time since 2020 that the Tigers will be searching for a new coach.
Freeze’s buyout at Auburn is $15.4 million, almost identical to the total the Tigers paid out to Bryan Harsin eight games into his second season in 2022. Freeze had signed a six-year deal that same year worth $39 million.
Auburn struggled on offense yet again, with the Wildcats, which are having their own struggles this season, getting seven sacks against a sputtering offense led by Stanford transfer Ashton Daniels, who made his first start for Auburn in place of Jackson Arnold.
“I wish I could ask for patience, but that’s not really something people want to give in this day and time, but I understand that,” Freeze said after the game in his plea to fans. “I just know we’re so dang close, and if we had a few things go our way earlier in the year, we’re looking at a whole different deal. But it didn’t, and that’s life. And that’s the game of football and it teaches us a lot of great things and a lot of tough things. We’ll get up and go get ready for the next one.
“I’d love for their patience. But I understand that you’re probably not getting patience from them, because they want to see a better product on the field and so do I. So, I understand it.”
Auburn lost at least four games during SEC play in each of Freeze’s seasons, which set a new low mark for the program. Freeze leaves Auburn with a 15-19 overall record, including a 6-16 showing in conference play.
That’s the worst three-year start for an Auburn coach since 1951-53, when Ralph Jordan went 14-16-1. Jordan, a College Football Hall of Famer, showed progress in that third year with a 7-3-1 record, though, and led the Tigers until he retired following the 1975 season.
Freeze is also the first Auburn coach since 1950 to last at least three seasons without a winning record against league opponents.
Auburn is the fourth SEC school to make a midseason coaching change in 2025, following Arkansas, Florida and LSU.
— Information from CBS Sports
