Auburn Fires Hugh Freeze Following Kentucky Loss And Fan Backlash On The Plains: Sources

Hugh Freeze made one final walk off the field on Saturday night following the loss to Kentucky, as the student section loudly chanted ‘Fire Freeze.’' The students got their wish, Auburn has fired its head coach, according to multiple sources. 

The embarrassing loss to Kentucky, where Auburn scored just three points in the 10-3 loss, was the final straw for Freeze. He left the athletic department and boosters with no other option, as the Tigers fell to 1-5 in the SEC.

Defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin will serve as the Tigers' interim head coach, as Auburn travels to Vanderbilt on Saturday, before playing Mercer and Alabama to close out the 2025 season. 

Auburn will owe Hugh Freeze roughly $15.5 million for the remaining years on his contract, according to sources. There were no negotiations regarding the buyout. 

AD John Cohen released a statement on Sunday afternoon about the firing of Hugh Freeze. 

"I have informed Coach Freeze of my decision to make a change in leadership with the Auburn Football program. Coach Freeze is a man of integrity, and we are appreciative of his investment in Auburn and his relentless work over the last three years in bolstering our roster. Our expectations for Auburn Football are to annually compete for championships and the search for the next leader of Auburn Football begins immediately."

Don't forget, this will be the fourth head coach for Auburn in the last seven years. They cannot strike out again, which is why there is plenty of pressure on athletic director John Cohen. 

For a coach that promised big things for the Auburn program, Freeze ended up sounding like a used-car salesman over the past four years on the Plains. After every loss, for some reason, he'd keep coming back to the "We're close" phrase that would send Auburn fans into a full-blown frenzy. 

CFP Chaos: Oklahoma Ends Tennessee, Miami And Georgia Tech Fall And We're On Freeze Watch

In the end, the offensive guru has put Auburn in a worse position than when it started. Most would think the Bryan Harsin era was bad, but the Tigers have been stuck in neutral for years, with hope fading after every loss suffered in excruciating fashion. 

Whether it was the Georgia game, or the close loss to Missouri, the 2025 season has been a disaster. And when the fans turn on you, it's over. So, one would question why it took John Cohen so long to make a decision. Did the administration actually think a win over Arkansas was going to turn things around? 

No, it just bought them more time to make a decision that should've been taken care of two weeks ago. 

If you thought about heading to Nashville next weekend to play Vanderbilt against the unofficial ‘Governor’ of Auburn in Diego Pavia was a smart move, I'd imagine fans are relieved to know that the decision was made in the early hours of Sunday morning. 

Tigers Join The Coaching Carousel. Who Could Auburn Hunt? 

This entire situation was beyond repair, and no amount of NIL funding was going to fix it. Auburn boosters had given enough, with a return on investment non-existent. 

Now, Auburn joins the likes of LSU, Florida and Arkansas in looking for a new head coach. There will be plenty of questions centered around which job is better, but the Tigers are realistically third on that list right now. 

Jon Sumrall: Tulane

The Tigers will obviously take a look at Tulane's Jon Sumrall, who was also the former head coach at Troy. So, he knows the State of Alabama, and has had success at every stop along the way. 

But, Auburn could be in for a competition in terms of Sumrall, as there could be a domino effect that occurs if Lane Kiffin decides to bolt from Ole Miss. Would Florida also be interested? The Gators aren't going the G-6 route again, if they can help it. 

Lane Kiffin: Ole Miss

Auburn is more than welcomed to pick up the phone and call Lane back, just to gauge if he still has that same type of interest from nearly three years ago that almost lured him to the Plains. 

But right now, with LSU and Florida open, the Tigers would be third on the list of attractive jobs for Kiffin if he were to decide to leave Ole Miss. 

Kenny Dillinham: Arizona State 

The former Auburn offensive coordinator in 2019, Dillingham has made a name for himself in the head coaching circles after leading the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff in 2024. He has plenty of experience as a playcaller, coaching the offense at Florida State and Oregon as well. 

Brent Key: Georgia Tech

Key has plenty of ties to the south, while also serving as the Alabama offensive line coach from 2016-18. Right now, even with the loss to NC State on Saturday, Brent Key has Georgia Tech in playoff contention, amid a chaotic ACC title race. 

It's not easy to turn Georgia Tech around, and what he's been able to do since 2023 has been extremely impressive. He does have an overall record of 18-14 during his time in Atlanta, but any good build takes time. 

He's not extremely high on the list for me. 

Just Take A Swing At Dabo Swinney

If Auburn wants to make a splash, I know a coach in South Carolina who could be looking for a reset. Have you seen how unhappy Dabo Swinney has looked lately at Clemson? Why not trade in one Tiger for another? I'm just saying, we could see something like we all witnessed in 2021, when there is a bombshell move that nobody saw coming. Aka, Lincoln Riley and Brian Kelly. 

Ultimate Wildcard

Jimbo Fisher: Former Texas A&M coach

Sure, call it a wildcard. Hell, it might even be a joker. But, I'm going to put him in at least the consideration category. Fisher can win, although things did not end well for him in College Station. 

The support is there, along with plenty of influential ‘money folks’ ready to throw NIL funding at the next head coach to keep players from leaving, along with finding quick-fixes in the transfer portal. 

AUBURN, ALABAMA - NOVEMBER 01: Head coach Hugh Freeze of the Auburn Tigers walks off the field after being defeated by the Kentucky Wildcats at Jordan-Hare Stadium on November 01, 2025 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)

There was no way Auburn could wait until the end of the season to make this move. Sure, fans will continue showing up, and you can bet the Tigers will have a strong showing at Vanderbilt next week in terms of fan support. 

But, Freeze looked like a coach who was lost for words, knowing that it was the final time he'd be sitting at a podium with the Auburn logo flanking him. 

Now, we wait to see where the Tigers turn next, and they have plenty of company across college football.