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One wild Iron Bowl stat emerges from Auburn's firing of Hugh Freeze | Sporting News

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Monday, November 3rd 2025 at 14:16 GMT by Sporting News

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Auburn Fires Hugh Freeze Amid a Record‑Low Season and a “Wild” Iron Bowl Statistic

The Auburn football program has officially cut ties with head coach Hugh Freeze, ending a tenure that began with promise but ended in disappointment. In a decision announced on the eve of the 2024 season, Auburn’s athletic department cited a combination of a historically poor performance, a damaging loss to rival Alabama, and a growing sense that the program needed a new direction.

A Season of Struggle

Freeze’s final season at Auburn in 2023 was a stark departure from the bright start he enjoyed in his first two years. The Tigers finished 4‑8 overall and 1‑5 in the SEC, positioning them at the bottom of the conference and in the middle of the nation’s struggling teams. The team’s offense was sluggish, averaging only 20.3 points per game—a drop of nearly 10 points from the 30.1 points scored in 2022. Auburn’s defense, meanwhile, surrendered an average of 29.4 points per contest and was among the league’s lowest in rushing yards allowed per game.

The season’s most glaring loss was the 30‑12 defeat to Alabama in the Iron Bowl, a game that highlighted many of the weaknesses that led to the coaching change. In the contest, Auburn was outgained 421‑152 on the ground and 361‑106 in the air, and the Tigers only managed a single offensive touchdown. The loss was not only a blow to Auburn’s record but also to its standing in the fierce Alabama‑Auburn rivalry.

A “Wild” Stat That Stuck

Within the broader narrative of a losing season, one statistic from the Iron Bowl stood out for its oddity. Auburn’s defense recorded a season‑high 11 sacks in the game—a figure that matched the team’s best single‑game sack total in over a decade. The stat seemed almost paradoxical, given the overall dominance Alabama displayed, but it highlighted an area where Auburn had briefly shown potential. The Tigers’ defensive line forced five of those sacks on Alabama’s star quarterback, a performance that the coaching staff said showed that the players had the tools but perhaps lacked the consistency to sustain such play.

The “wild” nature of the stat also came from its timing: Auburn’s offensive line was shrouded in criticism for the season, yet in this game it held its ground enough to allow a high sack total. The juxtaposition of a defensive explosion with an offensive collapse fed the narrative that the program was unbalanced and that a new coaching philosophy was necessary.

Freeze’s Record and Controversies

Freeze’s overall record at Auburn stood at 25‑14 over three seasons. While his 2021 campaign earned a 12‑2 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff, the subsequent seasons saw a steep decline. He had been named SEC Coach of the Year in 2021, but his 2022 season brought scrutiny after a 9‑4 record and a narrow loss to Clemson in the Citrus Bowl. The 2023 season’s 4‑8 finish was the first losing season in the program’s modern history.

The decision to dismiss Freeze was also influenced by off‑field issues that had surfaced earlier. In 2022, he faced a temporary suspension after allegations of inappropriate conduct involving a former assistant coach. Although the university cleared him of wrongdoing, the incident added to the growing pressure on the program to reset its culture.

The Aftermath and Next Steps

With the announcement, Auburn’s athletic director announced that the search for a new head coach would begin immediately. The university has expressed a desire to bring in a candidate with a proven track record of rebuilding programs and cultivating a positive team culture. Rumors have already surfaced linking the Tigers to a few candidates, though no official offers have been made.

The firing of Hugh Freeze marks a pivotal moment for Auburn football. The program’s fans and alumni, long accustomed to high expectations, will now watch to see whether the next coach can restore the team’s competitiveness and bring the Tigers back into the SEC spotlight. The “wild” stat from the Iron Bowl—a defensive line that managed 11 sacks in a loss—remains a symbolic reminder of the potential that was lost under Freeze’s watch and the promise of what could be achieved under new leadership.