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Auburn’s 2025 misfortune can’t hide program’s leadership problems
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- Auburn’s 2025 misfortune can’t hide program’s leadership problems
College football delivers thrilling highs, heartbreaking lows, and everything in between. Every Saturday, teams put everything on the line for the pride of their schools. Some programs consistently seem to get the right bounce of the ball, while others rarely catch a break.
The Auburn Tigers fell into the latter category in 2025, particularly when it came to questionable officiating and unfortunate breaks. CBS Sports evaluated every result from the 2025 season and concluded that Auburn was the unluckiest team in college football .
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The Tigers suffered multiple losses despite winning the turnover battle, earning them that dubious distinction.
Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze talks with wide receiver Cam Coleman (8) during practice at Woltosz Football Performance Center in Auburn, Ala. on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025.
"Based on the numbers we're looking at, there's an argument to be made that Auburn was the unluckiest team," he said. "It had a positive turnover margin in these games, but not to the ridiculous extent Kansas State did. The Tigers went 0-6 in these games, with their lone two-score conference loss being a 20-10 defeat at Georgia. So even that loss was close." CBS Sports detailed.
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Close only counts so much. Those narrow defeats ultimately led Auburn to move on from Hugh Freeze, continuing the program's revolving door at head coach.
The bigger issue, however, wasn't bad luck. Auburn's offense struggled throughout the season, and the coaching staff failed to maximize its most talented players.
MORE: CFB analyst asks why won't Florida State move on from Mike Norvell?
Deuce Knight scored 62 points in his only start, giving Auburn its best offensive performance of the season by a wide margin. Despite that success, the Tigers chose to bench him for the Iron Bowl. It was a baffling decision, especially considering Auburn had nothing left to play for. Why not give fans a glimpse of the program's future?
Jan 29, 2025; Mobile, AL, USA; Florida State offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn talks with Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze during Senior Bowl practice for the American team at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Malzahn is a former Auburn football head coach. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
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Auburn has struggled with program mismanagement since parting ways with Gus Malzahn in 2020. Moving on from Malzahn wasn't necessarily the mistake. The problem was failing to have a clear, well-executed plan for what came next.
The Tigers are now on their fourth head coach in six years. Whether the program was unlucky in 2025 is almost beside the point. Auburn has lacked the vision and leadership necessary to build sustained success.
The program has also dealt with influential boosters whose involvement has often complicated matters. Until that changes, and until Auburn focuses more on building its own identity than measuring itself against its rivals, the results are unlikely to change.
The question now is whether Auburn has finally found the right man to lead the program forward.
