Ole Miss Turning Up Heat On Five-Star Auburn Tigers Commit Amid Hugh Freeze Firing

Leakesville (Miss.) Greene County five-star wide receiver Jase Mathews remains a hot commodity on the recruiting scene as the Early Signing Period in December inches closer.

The No. 1 rated wideout in the 2026 Recruiting Cycle pledged to Auburn over the likes of the Ole Miss Rebels, LSU Tigers and Texas A&M Aggies down the stretch in his process, but it hasn't stopped schools from intensifying their pursuits.

“Auburn is just a place I want to be,” Mathews told Rivals. “I feel like I can thrive there in all areas of life—mentally, physically, and spiritually. The coaches made me feel like I was already part of the team. It is just right when I am there.” '

It was ultimately the recruiting efforts of Auburn wide receivers coach Marcus Davis that sealed the deal for Mathews to pop and verbally commit to the Tigers.

“Coach Davis is a young coach, and we’ve built a really close connection — not even just about football. I’ve met his family. He’s a reasonable, understanding guy who I know can help me grow on and off the field. He is a coach I fully trust," Mathews told Rivals.

Ole Miss Rebels Baseball: Jase Mathews. — Courtesy of Jase Mathews' X/Twitter: @mathews_jase.

But with Hugh Freeze now out as the head coach of the Auburn program, could this open the door for a flip with less than five weeks until the Early Signing Period?

“Coach Freeze is one of the few head coaches who personally recruited me. We’ve had a lot of conversations. He’s laid-back and real. That relationship built up over time to a really strong one,” Mathews recently told Rivals.

Ole Miss and LSU have emerged as two programs to keep tabs on in pursuit of the Auburn commit as the Early Signing Period in December nears.

247Sports' David Johnson recently logged a prediction in favor of the Ole Miss Rebels successfully flipping the prized wide receiver as his process heats up down the stretch.

Ole Miss hired ex-Rebel Donte Moncrief to the staff during the offseason where he's quickly provided a boost to the program's recruiting department.

Ole Miss Rebels Football: Jase Mathews. — Courtesy of Jase Mathews' Instagram.

Moncrief, who finished his career in Oxford in 2013, spent seven seasons in the National Football League where he's now made his return to the program.

Across his time with the Ole Miss Rebels, Moncrief caught 156 passes for 2,371 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Now, with Moncrief on staff, the program is looking to get over the finish line for Mathews as the Rebels look to sway him away from his Auburn Tigers pledge with Freeze now out as the decision-maker.

No. 7 Ole Miss will return to action on Saturday against The Citadel as the 2025 season nears the finish line with three games to go.

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and Ole Miss Rebels On SI: @OleMissOnSI for all coverage surrounding the Ole Miss program.