Josh Pate describes SEC offense, quarterback as a 'failed experiment'

Josh Pate blasts Auburn’s offense and Jackson Arnold after Texas A&M loss, calling them a failed experiment.

Auburn football quarterback Jackson Arnold and the Tigers have struggled to find their footing offensively this season. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Auburn’s latest stumble on the road left fans and analysts frustrated, and Josh Pate did not hold back. During his College Football Show podcast, Pate sharply criticized the Tigers’ offensive approach and quarterback Jackson Arnold, calling the experiment a failure. Auburn fell 16-10 to Texas A&M in a game where the defense kept them competitive but the offense had no answers. The loss marked the team’s second straight road setback after falling to Oklahoma a week earlier, leaving the Tigers at 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Southeastern Conference.

Arnold’s struggles were once again front and center. He finished with 124 yards passing and was sacked five times. The Tigers were held to just 177 total yards and converted none of their 13 third-down opportunities. Despite a late score following a defensive takeaway, the offense could not string together a meaningful drive. Head coach Hugh Freeze admitted the performance was “unacceptable,” while Arnold said the group needed to use its upcoming break to find solutions.

Pate went a step further, questioning not just the execution but the entire identity of the offense. He argued that the Tigers’ reliance on the passing game, despite glaring weaknesses, showed a lack of direction and contributed to what he bluntly labeled a “failed experiment.”

Josh Pate Rips Auburn Offense, Calls Arnold a Failed Experiment

Pate’s harshest comments came when he dissected Auburn’s approach against the Aggies. “I have no idea what Auburn is defensively or offensively. I have no idea who or what Auburn is offensively,” he said. He expected the Tigers to lean on the run but instead watched them throw 33 times compared to 24 rushing attempts, a gap made worse by multiple sacks that counted as rushes.

“They tried to throw the ball to win, and that’s not happening,” Pate continued. “It’s not happening, not because you can’t get guys open, but because you don’t have good receiver talent, you don’t have the quarterback to get it to him. It’s just a failed experiment. The Jackson Arnold experiment is just a failed experiment, and it’s probably not going to get better because playing Georgia, Missouri, Bama and at Vanderbilt doesn’t tend to make it better.”

Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze and the Tigers only managed 177 yards on offense against Texas A&M. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

He detailed the bleak numbers: Auburn was outgained 414 to 177, failed on every third and fourth down, and produced a single yard of offense in the fourth quarter. Pate described the drive chart as a series of three-and-outs, punts, and empty possessions that underscored the dysfunction.

“It’s dead in the water,” he said. “They’re trying to rebuild the plane at 30,000 feet. And I think we know what happens to a plane when you try and rebuild it at 30,000 feet.”

Auburn’s Problems Compound As Schedule Gets Tougher

The setback against Texas A&M added to a growing list of concerns for Auburn. The Aggies dominated statistically, piling up 207 rushing yards and holding the Tigers to their lowest rushing total in years. Running back Le’Veon Moss ran for 139 yards and a score despite battling a stomach bug, while quarterback Marcel Reed added 207 passing yards in the win.

For Auburn, the offensive line has been a persistent issue. Transfer lineman Xavier Chaplin has racked up multiple false starts in recent weeks, and the protection breakdowns have left Arnold taking repeated hits. The Tigers’ inability to generate third-down conversions has left the defense with no margin for error, a reality that Freeze acknowledged when he placed the blame on his offense.

Jackson Arnold masterclass 🙌 pic.twitter.com/lOiF3K9guj

— Old Row Sports (@OldRowSports) September 27, 2025

Arnold admitted the situation was frustrating but said the team has two weeks to regroup. “We’ll have to go back and look over the game and see what we can improve on, what I can improve on, little things we can do,” he said. “We have two weeks to go and get it right. So I’m hoping we’ll use that time wisely.”

The Tigers have shown flashes, particularly from running back Jeremiah Cobb and wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr., but the numbers in conference play remain alarming. Auburn ranks last in total offense and rushing offense among SEC teams, raising pressure on Freeze to find answers quickly.

The road doesn't get any easier for Auburn as the Tigers will host Georgia on Oct. 11.