Vanderbilt Football Opens as Big Favorites Over Auburn After Hugh Freeze Firing

Vanderbilt football is taking on Auburn on Saturday expecting to win.

Oct 25, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) celebrates the touchdown of quarterback Diego Pavia (2) against the Missouri Tigers during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

NASHVILLE—Vanderbilt football is a 7.5-point favorite against Auburn, per FanDuel Sportsbook. 

Vanderbilt had been the underdog in 51-straight SEC matchups, but has been favored in three of its last four games–including Saturday’s. Those games have resulted in two Vanderbilt wins and a loss. The Commodores boosted their stock and moved up to No. 10 in the AP Top 25–its highest ranking since 1947 and the second-highest ranking in program history–after their win over LSU a week ago and did it again on Saturday with a 17-10 win over Missouri before falling after a 34-31 loss to No. 20 Texas. 

The Commodores are 7-2 on the season with wins over LSU, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, Utah State, Georgia State and Charleston Southern in addition to their win over Missouri. They’ve lost to Alabama and Texas.The Commodores will likely have to go 3-0 the rest of the way to find themselves in the College Football Playoff field. 

If Clark Lea’s team leaves FirstBank Stadium with a win over Auburn on Saturday, it will mark its first win over the Tigers since it clinched bowl eligibility at Jordan Hare Stadium last season. It had never won in Jordan Hare prior to that game, which ended in Vanderbilt’s players taking the podium postgame with white “Bowl Bound” t-shirts. 

Auburn is just 4-5 and has its back against the wall in regard to its bowl eligibility. The most jarring loss for the Tigers came on Saturday when they fell 10-3 to Kentucky at home.

As a result, the Tigers fired head coach Hugh Freeze and will look to wipe the slate clean after a poor start to the season. 

The four wins for the Tigers came against Baylor, South Alabama, Ball State and Arkansas. Auburn’s five losses came to Kentucky, Missouri, Georgia, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. It has lost five of its last six. 

Vanderbilt looks to hand the Tigers another loss. It appears as if it believes it can based off of its prior rèsumè. 

“This is a new Vandy,” Vanderbilt defensive end Khordae Sydnor said after its win over LSU. “People expect that we’re gonna win. It’s period point blank, in the SEC we can compete with anybody and I think you saw it today.” 

“If we end the season with six wins we’re going to be pissed,” Vanderbilt tight end Cole Spence added. “We're trying to go win a national championship. That's our goal for this year.”

Time to see if it can bolster its rèsumè again with a win over Texas on Saturday.