Auburn football makes a jump in latest AP Poll after 31-15 victory over South Alabama

Auburn Tigers running back Jeremiah Cobb (23) runs the ball as Auburn Tigers take on South Alabama Jaguars at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. Auburn Tigers defeated South Alabama Jaguars 31-15.
Auburn Tigers running back Jeremiah Cobb (23) runs the ball as Auburn Tigers take on South Alabama Jaguars at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. Auburn Tigers defeated South Alabama Jaguars 31-15. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Auburn football entered the AP Poll Top 25 last week for the first time since 2021, breaking a prolonged drought that Tigers' fans won't be proud about. After Hugh Freeze's squad's 31-15 victory over South Alabama on Saturday in Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Tigers jumped two spots from No. 24 to No. 22.

It wasn't a perfect game for Auburn in its first-ever matchup against the Jaguars, as sluggish play and breakdowns in the secondary prevented the Tigers from having an easy blowout, while also keeping South Alabama from mounting a comeback in the second half.

After building a 28-9 lead in the first half behind two touchdown runs and one touchdown pass from quarterback Jackson Arnold, the Tigers' offense had only three possessions in the final 30 minutes as the Jaguars kept chewing up clock on long drives with multiple 3rd-down conversions.

"I felt like we lacked a little urgency," Kaleb Harris said. "We weren’t flying around like we usually do. We weren’t up to our standard. I think we played alright. We got the job done."

The No. 22 Tigers open SEC play this Saturday in Norman against No. 11 Oklahoma, as Arnold makes his return to play his former team. 

Here is the complete AP Poll for Week 4 of the 2025 college football season:

  1. Ohio State
  2. Penn State
  3. LSU
  4. Miami (FL)
  5. Georgia
  6. Oregon
  7. Florida State
  8. Texas
  9. Illinois
  10. Texas A&M
  11. Oklahoma
  12. Iowa State
  13. Ole Miss
  14. Alabama
  15. Tennessee
  16. Utah
  17. Texas Tech
  18. Georgia Tech
  19. Indiana
  20. Vanderbilt
  21. Michigan
  22. Auburn
  23. Missouri
  24. Notre Dame
  25. USC

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