2025 Auburn football schedule: Breaking down Tigers' key games, challenges, storylines

Auburn football's 2025 schedule was released. Will the Tigers be due for a repeat of the last two seasons under Hugh Freeze?
Auburn football's 2025 schedule was released. Will the Tigers be due for a repeat of the last two seasons under Hugh Freeze? | Michael Chang/GettyImages

As Auburn football eyes the 2025 season, fans have plenty to dissect from the newly-released schedule. With a mix of marquee matchups, tricky road tests, and potential trap games, the path to a successful season is anything but straightforward.

Here’s a week-by-week breakdown of Auburn’s 2025 opponents and what Tiger fans can expect.

Week 1: @ Baylor

Key storyline: Tricky opener on the road

Starting the season on the road is never easy, and Baylor presents a unique challenge. While the Bears struggled last year — even losing to Colorado on a Hail Mary — they remain a team capable of causing problems at home.

This early-season test will set the tone for Auburn’s 2025 campaign. If the Tigers can pull off a win, it could be a springboard for a strong start.

Week 2: Ball State

Key storyline: Tune-up opportunity

Ball State comes to Jordan-Hare as Auburn’s first home game of the season. This matchup should give Auburn a chance to clean up any issues from the Baylor game.

It’s also an opportunity to establish a rhythm in the offense, particularly if there are new faces at quarterback or running back.

Week 3: South Alabama

Key storyline: Recruiting footprint and a rising program

This game has recruiting significance, as South Alabama has quietly built a strong program in a talent-rich region. Left-handed quarterback Gio Lopez is a player to watch, and South Alabama’s roster is typically filled with athletic playmakers. It’s also a chance for Auburn to make a statement in a key recruiting area.

Week 4: @ Oklahoma

Key storyline: New-look Sooners on the rise

Auburn travels to Norman to face a Sooners team that is expected to be significantly better in 2025. Oklahoma’s move to the SEC comes with growing pains, but by this point, they should be a formidable opponent.

Playing at Oklahoma will be a major test, and it kicks off a grueling four-week stretch that could define Auburn’s season.

Week 5: @ Texas A&M

Key storyline: Back-to-back road tests

After Oklahoma, Auburn faces another daunting road game in College Station. Texas A&M’s talent level is always high, and in 2025, they’re expected to be a top-tier SEC team.

Escaping College Station with a win has been difficult for Auburn in recent years, and it won’t get any easier this time.

Week 6: BYE

Key storyline: Much-needed rest

After back-to-back games at Oklahoma and Texas A&M, Auburn gets a well-timed bye week. This break should help the team regroup and prepare for what may be the toughest part of the schedule.

Week 7: Georgia

Key storyline: The ultimate test

By Week 7, Auburn’s record could range from undefeated to somewhere around 3-3. Georgia, always a College Football Playoff contender, visits Jordan-Hare for one of Auburn’s most anticipated home games of the year.

The Tigers have played Georgia well at home in the past, but as always, much depends on the quarterback play for both teams. If Auburn enters this game undefeated, expect the stadium atmosphere to be electric.

Week 8: Missouri

Key storyline: Potential trap game

After Georgia, Missouri rolls into town. While Missouri showed signs of growth in 2023 and 2024, their 2025 outlook hinges on finding a quality quarterback.

Auburn can’t afford to sleepwalk through this one, but if the Tigers handle business, it’s a winnable home game.

Week 9: @ Arkansas

Key storyline: Who’s left for the Hogs?

Arkansas could be in rebuild mode in 2025, as their current roster is seeing mass departures via the transfer portal. While Fayetteville is always a tough environment, the Tigers should have the edge in talent.

If Auburn is serious about being a top-tier SEC program, this is a game it must win.

Week 10: Kentucky

Key storyline: Uncertain Wildcats

Kentucky has been solid in recent years, but they’re facing a major roster reset with several key players transferring out. At this point in the season, Auburn should be better positioned than the Wildcats.

A win here could help the Tigers build momentum toward a strong finish.

Week 11: @ Vanderbilt

Key storyline: Avoid the upset

Trips to Nashville aren’t supposed to be difficult, but Auburn fans know better. The 2024 team scored just seven points in a shocking loss to Vanderbilt. While Vandy is dealing with roster turnover, Auburn must avoid another letdown.

Games like these are critical in the hunt for a successful season.

Week 12: BYE

Key storyline: Rest before the Iron Bowl

With Alabama looming in Week 14, Auburn gets a second bye week to rest and prepare. The timing is ideal for recharging before the final two games of the season.

Week 13: Mercer

Key storyline: Iron Bowl tune-up

This should be an easy win for Auburn, giving the coaching staff a chance to prepare for Alabama. It’s also an opportunity for younger players to see the field.

Week 14: Alabama

Key storyline: The Iron Bowl

No matter what happens in the 2025 season, everything circles back to this game. The Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare is a different beast, and Auburn has played Alabama close at home in recent years. If Auburn enters this game with momentum, anything is possible.

Auburn football's path to success in 2025

Auburn fans can make the case that the Tigers could be undefeated heading into Week 7 against Georgia. With home games against Ball State, South Alabama, and Missouri, plus road trips to Arkansas, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky, the possibility of a 6-0 start isn’t out of the question. If Auburn is 6-0 when Georgia comes to town, Jordan-Hare will be one of the loudest stadiums in college football.

On the flip side, the Tigers could face a brutal reality. Road trips to Baylor, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M — all in the first five weeks — are no easy task. There’s a chance Auburn could enter the bye week at 3-2 or even 2-3. Surviving this stretch will be crucial for the rest of the season.

The 2025 season will offer a glimpse into what Hugh Freeze’s offense is truly supposed to look like. Auburn’s offensive struggles in 2023 and 2024 were well-documented, with inconsistent quarterback play and limited intermediate passing options. Payton Thorne’s inability to connect on 10-20-yard throws often stalled drives.

Freeze’s past success at Ole Miss, where he developed quarterbacks like Bo Wallace, Chad Kelly, and Malik Willis, suggests he can fix Auburn’s QB issues. However, he needs the right player to execute his vision. If Auburn can stabilize the quarterback position, it will raise the floor for the entire program.

The running back room is also in flux. For the first time since 2019, Auburn fans aren’t sure who the lead back will be. Jarquez Hunter carried the load in 2024 with one of the SEC’s highest usage rates, but 2025 will be a different story.

Will Auburn have another star running back ready to roll? It remains to be seen.

The parallels between Freeze’s time at Ole Miss and his current situation at Auburn are striking. At Ole Miss, he inherited a program in disarray and built it into a nine-win team. The difference is that he was fired before reaching the program’s ceiling. Auburn fans hope that this time, Freeze can finish the job.

It’s not uncommon for coaches to see their breakthrough later into their tenures. Different sport, but Bruce Pearl’s Auburn basketball teams struggled at first after having to be pulled out of a dark place, before eventually turning into a Final Four squad. Auburn football could be on a similar track. If Freeze can win 8-9 games in 2025, it would signal a shift in trajectory. The foundation is being laid, and if Auburn’s recruiting continues to trend upward, an elite roster could be on the horizon.

Auburn’s 2025 schedule is loaded with high-stakes games, particularly on the road early. But if Freeze can guide the Tigers to a strong start, the back half of the season sets up well. By the time Georgia and Alabama roll into town, Auburn may have the momentum, the talent, and the belief it takes to pull off an upset.

With Freeze at the helm, Auburn’s ceiling remains unknown. But if history is any indication, Year 3 could be the start of something special.