The 2025 college football season looms large for several programs looking to climb the ranks, and Auburn finds itself at the center of that conversation.
With head coach Hugh Freeze entering his third season and still searching for his first winning record with the Tigers, expectations are mounting.
According to ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, there is a renewed sense of optimism on The Plains – one fueled by returning talent, a strong recruiting class, and a potential difference-maker at quarterback.
Auburn ranks No. 22 nationally in returning production, bringing back 65% of last season’s roster output.
That continuity, combined with a top-10 recruiting class and a No. 27-ranked transfer portal haul, has some believing the Tigers could finally turn the corner.
During a recent segment on The Paul Finebaum Show, the longtime SEC analyst pointed to one key addition as a major reason for excitement.
“There’s a lot of optimism at Auburn. Certainly, with Jackson Arnold at quarterback, it feels like a reset. I think a lot of Auburn fans feel this could be the breakthrough year to get out of the cellar,” Finebaum said.
Arnold, a former five-star recruit, arrives at Auburn after an up-and-down 2024 season with the Oklahoma Sooners.
As a first-year starter, he completed 62.6% of his passes for 1,421 yards, 12 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also added 444 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
However, Arnold’s first season as Oklahoma’s starter didn’t go as planned. He struggled early, leading to a benching in the fourth game of the season against Tennessee.
Eventually, he reclaimed the starting role and finished the season under center for the Sooners.
Now, Auburn is betting that Arnold’s talent and experience can help end a painful stretch of losing seasons.
Auburn has endured four straight losing seasons – a streak that hasn’t been seen since 1946-50. If the Tigers stumble again in 2025, it will mark the program’s longest skid in nearly 80 years.
That’s not a future Freeze is willing to accept. With Arnold leading the offense and a more experienced roster, Auburn is banking on this season being the one that reverses its fortunes.
Can the Tigers finally break through???
The pieces are there – but the results will have to follow. And for what it’s worth, you can count old buddy Paul Finebaum as a believer.
