Auburn's Loss to Texas A&M the Latest in Futile Freeze Era

After starting the season 3-0, the Auburn Tigers have dropped its first two SEC games of the season.

The Auburn Tigers have now lost back-to-back games after a 3-0 start. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

If you root for the Auburn Tigers, Saturday's loss to Texas A&M will reside in the pantheon of futility that Hugh Freeze brought to The Plains. Already erasing the failures of the Harsin Error, Freeze decided to establish his own track record of futility, masquerading as a football program.

While the game ended up in a 19-16 defeat, it felt like a much wider margin of victory.

Hugh Freeze in Year 3 at Auburn:

• 1-10 vs. Ranked Opponents ❌
• 14-16 Overall Record ❌
• 5-13 in SEC Play ❌

Absolutely embarrassing. pic.twitter.com/Uk4FYxxGOf

— College Football Report (@CFBRep) September 27, 2025

Uneven Day

You already know that people residing deep in their feelings, without a scintilla of a clue, will lay all of the blame on Jackson Arnold's feet. Yet, the majority of the blame that needs assigning should not fall on the quarterback.

Granted, going 19-for-33 for 125 yards is a problem that needs discussing. Arnold did not seem sharp when throwing the ball. His timing from the decision to the release seemed off. He did manage to leave more than a few easy throws on the field.

almost halfway through Year 3 under Hugh Freeze, an offensive-minded head coach, Auburn just finished a game with 155 yards of total offense — the fewest in a game for the program in eight seasons

an offensive EPA of -21.4, and yet you still had chances to win

unbelievably bad pic.twitter.com/keeoIYbLl6

— Justin Ferguson (@JFergusonAU) September 27, 2025

Meanwhile, Arnold may have endeared himself to his teammates, based on his running style. Multiple times, Arnold lowered the shoulder and drove nose-first into a tackler. He tried to bowl over an Aggie on a run play. With no visible slide, Arnold earned each and every rushing yard. While the stat sheet only says 11 yards, everyone knows the reason.

Repeated History

Last week, Oklahoma used stunts, loops, and twists to get home with regularity. Texas A&M, despite not being as talented as the Sooners, employed the same tactic, which proved effective. The inability to adjust or anticipate became evident early in the game.

For the entirety of the offseason, social media was flooded with effusive praise for the offensive line, going as far as to proclaim that future NFL talent suits up for the Tigers. 15 sacks in the last two games cannot be explained away or excused. The high-priced offensive tackles brought in through the transfer portal will not stop whiffing on blocks and standing flat-footed.

Three-Headed Monster Problem

In the offseason, Freeze spent time talking about the coordinator-by-committee, consisting of Derrick Nix, Kent Austin and himself. With the last 15 minutes, the game still hung in the balance.

Fast forward to a 3rd-and-1 with under two minutes left, why call a pass there?

The offensive line plays like a sieve. As a result, risking the game on the line is just not a very smart move. Worse, the pass call on fourth down. You need one yard, three feet, to prolong the game, and you choose a pass. Common sense tells you to run the ball twice.

Apparently, common sense stood on just one sideline at Kyle Field. Not to mention the 0-for-13 on third down and the lack of offense throughout were eye sores.

When Freeze was hired, he needed time to implement his offensive scheme. Does anyone know what the scheme is? The athletic department opened up the wallet, shelling out millions to improve the team. After five games, a 3-2 record and arguably the worst offensive line in the SEC look like the return on investment.

Said it later in Gus Malzahn's Auburn tenure. Time to say it about Hugh Freeze.

If you're no longer any good at the thing you're supposed to be good at, what good are you?

— Kevin Scarbinsky (@KevinScarbinsky) September 27, 2025

Overview

Auburn will rebound and attempt to put this loss in its rearview. However, this loss could come back to haunt the Tigers.

For example, if they do reach bowl eligibility, the loss could mean the difference between a decent bowl game and one sponsored by a condiment or third-rate restaurant. Right now, Auburn is not a very good team and feasted on inferior competition, buckling when they played tough opponents.