According to Ronald Evans of the Bama Hammer, Hugh Freeze’s Auburn Tigers aren’t ready to compete with Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide in 2024, making the 2025 Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium a “win or be fired” game for AU’s head coach.
“Auburn’s 2024 defensive backfield is not built to contend with a Kalen DeBoer offense,” Evans said, before adding, “It could and should get ugly on Nick Saban Field in November.” After the 2024 Iron Bowl, Freeze, who was 0-2 versus Alabama as Auburn’s head coach, will most certainly face a ‘win or be fired’ game in the 2025 season. Auburn hired Freeze to be the Alabama slayer; Auburn losing five straight to the Tide, including two after Saban, would result in a historic Auburn implosion.”
Auburn is currently a two-score underdog against Alabama in the 2024 Iron Bowl. It’s too early to know what direction that line will go between now and November 30.
What we can tell for certain is that a 2023 Iron Bowl victory may have secured Freeze’s long-term future on the Plains and made his AU debut a success, despite a seven-win regular season. That loss must still haunt him, as seen by his contention that he should have four wins versus Nick Saban.
Is the 2025 Iron Bowl a win or be fired game for Hugh Freeze?
That’s a difficult question to answer. Right now, we know that Freeze has the program on track in terms of recruitment. We also know that things move quickly on the trail during the NIL period, and the accumulation of losses can cause the 2025 and 2026 classes to plummet quickly.
If there is still no advancement from six victories by the end of the 2025 season, the 2025 Iron Bowl could be the tipping point for Freeze’s stay with the Tigers. If Auburn wins a lot of games over the next two years but fails to beat its in-state rival, it won’t be.
