It was another opportunity to right the ship and deliver in front of a sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium crowd, but once again the Tigers came up short, falling 23-17 to No. 16 Missouri in double overtime.
“This stinks, and there’s nothing you can say to make anyone feel better in that locker room,” said head coach Hugh Freeze. “Our fans are incredible, and we’d love to be at Toomer’s with them right now. But we’re still obviously not finding ways to win games.”
Auburn’s defense bent but didn’t break in the final seconds of regulation, as Jay Crawford’s clutch interception with 18 seconds left forced overtime but ultimately wasn’t enough.
“I know we’re close, and I know we’re going to get over the hump,” Freeze said. “We’re close, but I know people are tired of hearing it. I’m tired of saying it.”
The Southeastern Conference is one of the toughest places to play or coach, given how much pressure there is every single week. The pressure on Freeze is at an all-time high, and it feels like a change could be made very soon.
“We all know what we signed up for. I certainly know we fit what Auburn is all about, but Auburn is also about winning football,” Freeze said. “We’re going to come to work Monday and get ready to beat Arkansas.”
Auburn’s offense did enough to win the game Saturday, if not for three missed field goals by Alex McPherson. The junior missed attempts from 40, 38, and 50 yards, leaving nine potential points on the board for the Tigers.
“Alex is usually automatic from the first two (distances),” Freeze said. “The last one was a little long, probably should’ve went with Connor (Gibbs) on that (overtime) one.”
Jeremiah Cobb once again shined for Auburn on the ground. The Montgomery, Alabama, native averaged 5.8 yards per carry and finished with 111 yards.
Cam Coleman led the way for the Tigers in the passing game, posting 108 yards on six catches. However, he didn’t receive a single target in either overtime period, leaving fans scratching their heads.
“Not a very good plan,” Freeze said of the offense in overtime.
One of the biggest positives surrounding Freeze is his ability to recruit. In just his first three seasons on the Plains, he has made a major impact on the recruiting trail, highlighted by the “Freeze Four” — Cam Coleman, Perry Thompson, Malcolm Simmons and Bryce Cain. But at the end of the day, this business is about winning games, and he hasn’t done that. Freeze is 14-18 as Auburn’s head coach and is now one of just three Tigers head coaches all time with a losing record at Jordan-Hare Stadium, joining Bryan Harsin and Earl Brown.
“We’ve changed the talent level, but at the end of the day, you have to win football games,” Freeze said.
The Tigers will be back in action next week on the road against Arkansas. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. CST.
“If you look at this stretch of games, they were all really good teams,” Freeze said. “And we were really close. Eventually they’ll start to flip our way.”
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Rory is a sophomore majoring in journalism sports production. He started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @RorymGarvin
