AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn football is having a bit of a recruiting struggle fest at the moment, as head coach Hugh Freeze enters the hot seat conversation as the 2025 season looms, with the Tigers’ 2026 class ranked a dismal No. 86 nationally.
Good for dead last in the SEC, with only seven commits, per 247Sports, the Tigers are in some trouble.
The program’s slide, coupled with back-to-back losing seasons, has intensified scrutiny on Freeze, whose 11-14 record since taking over in 2023 falls short of Auburn’s championship expectations. Auburn football is in for a rough period, that’s for sure.
The Tigers’ recruiting trail setbacks are stark. High-profile decommitments, including four-star tight end JC Anderson to Ole Miss and three-star linebacker Eric Winters to Virginia Tech, have gutted Auburn’s class. Freeze’s inability to secure top in-state talent, with Alabama and Georgia dominating, has drawn criticism. Alabama, under new coach Kalen DeBoer, boasts the No. 2 class for 2026, landing five-star quarterback Keelon Russell and four-star receiver Devin Carter. Georgia, led by Kirby Smart, holds the No. 1 spot, securing four five-star prospects, including quarterback Jared Curtis and edge rusher Isaiah Gibson. Auburn, meanwhile, has no five-star commits and only two four-stars, a far cry from its 2024 class that ranked No. 8.
Auburn’s on-field struggles exacerbate the recruiting woes. A 6-7 debut under Freeze in 2023 was followed by a 5-7 campaign in 2024, marking the program’s first consecutive losing seasons since 1975-76. Losses to rivals Alabama and Georgia, both 31-10 in 2024, underscored the gap. Freeze, who once led Ole Miss to a 2016 Sugar Bowl, has yet to deliver a signature win at Auburn, with no bowl victories and a 3-9 SEC record. Fan frustration, evident on X, points to Freeze’s frequent golf outings—11 rounds in June alone, per Golf Digest—as a sign of misplaced priorities.
With Auburn’s season opener against New Mexico on Aug. 30, Freeze faces a make-or-break year. Athletic Director John Cohen, hired in 2022, has signaled a need for progress, and a third straight losing season could jeopardize Freeze’s tenure. As Alabama and Georgia stockpile elite talent, Auburn’s recruiting drought threatens its SEC relevance, placing Freeze squarely on the hot seat for 2025.
Auburn Football is struggling mightily on the recruiting trail.
Meanwhile, NASCAR was put on blast Sunday for its poor caution execution at the Chicago Street Race.
