Paul Finebaum Names SEC Team With Its Best Roster in Years

"I think it is," Finebaum said. "But paper and reality are often two different things. Hugh Freeze has told us that. It's just a matter of, look, I think they're going to be really good. But being really good and navigating a schedule that has three road games, two in Texas and one in Oklahoma, before you get to Georgia is very difficult."

Auburn's Early Season Schedule Could Determine the Season

Finebaum has mentioned Auburn's early season several times. He believes Freeze may be on the hot seat and could learn his fate before October.

“We will know by October what Hugh Freeze’s future looks like,” Finebaum previously said. “If he wins a couple of games, he’ll be there for a while, and conversely, if he doesn’t, he won’t. Pretty simple.”

Here’s what Auburn’s schedule looks like before October:

• At the Baylor Bears
• Ball State Cardinals
• South Alabama Jaguars
• At the Oklahoma Sooners
• At the Texas A&M Aggies

Last season, the Tigers lost to Oklahoma at home with a score of 27-21, but they secured a victory against Texas A&M at home, winning 43-41. This win contributed to Texas A&M's inability to compete for the SEC championship and resulted in their missed opportunity to qualify for the College Football Playoff.

Auburn's Recruiting Gives Reason for Optimism

Although Freeze hasn't had much success on the field, he has performed well in recruiting. In 2025, Auburn secured the No. 8-ranked recruiting class and the No. 8 transfer portal class. In 2024, they achieved the No. 10-ranked recruiting class and the No. 24-ranked transfer portal class. Among the notable additions from the transfer portal this year are quarterback Jackson Arnold and wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr.

Arnold is a former five-star recruit and a top 10 player in the 2023 recruiting class, regarded as the future of Oklahoma football. In his first season as the starting quarterback at Oklahoma, he threw for 1,421 yards and completed 12 touchdown passes, while throwing only three interceptions over 10 games.

However, he was benched midway through the season due to performance issues, which included multiple turnovers, primarily fumbles. He would regain his starting position a few days later.

Singleton Jr. had an impressive season at Georgia Tech, accumulating 754 yards and scoring three touchdowns. He was also ranked among the top five players in the transfer portal.

Auburn begins the season at 8 p.m. ET on Friday on the road against the Baylor Bears.