The Auburn Tigers have varied expectations from outlet to outlet, but don't consider Saturday Down South's Connor O'Gara on the high end in any way, shape, or form.
O'Gara predicted AU to be on the wrong end of two major SEC upsets this season:
Against the Missouri Tigers at home on October 18, and on the road in Nashville against the Vanderbilt Commodores on November 8.
Re: the Mizzou matchup, O'Gara is riding Eli Drinkwitz's several-year hot hand over Hugh Freeze's uncertain play-calling, which varies play-caller from down to down.
As for Vandy, quarterback Diego Pavia is the expected difference-maker once again, given his 3-0 record against Freeze. O'Gara adds that Pavia will have an extra chip on his shoulder after not being recruited by Freeze after several cycles' worth of chances.
"Don’t think this is a big enough upset to make the cut after Mizzou won this game last year with a quarterback who spent part of the game in the hospital? OK, ask Auburn fans how upset they’d be if they lost to Mizzou at Jordan-Hare Stadium. This is another one of those games wherein possessions can be at a premium and coaching decisions will be magnified. I wonder about a dejected Auburn defense repeatedly being asked to get stops against what should be an impressive Mizzou ground attack. And by this point in the season, I’m not convinced that whatever version of the Auburn offense is out there will stack up well against a Mizzou defense that was No. 20 in scoring defense and is No. 5 in America in percentage of returning production. Hugh Freeze suffers another brutal loss in front of the Auburn faithful," O'Gara wrote.
"You had me at 'Diego Pavia vs. Freeze.' Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Pavia has already fooled us 3 times against Freeze — don’t forget that he led New Mexico State to a win against Freeze’s Liberty squad in 2022 — so why would we assume that streak ends with Pavia finally getting a home game in this rivalry? And yes, Pavia does take it personally that Freeze had multiple chances to recruit him in the transfer portal, and he passed. Pavia is leading a Vanderbilt offense that ranks No. 8 in FBS in percentage of returning production, including 73% of a defense (No. 10 in FBS) that completely stymied Freeze’s offense at Jordan-Hare Stadium last year. Once again, Pavia and Co. get it done against the Auburn coach."
With matchups against the Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, and Texas A&M Aggies in College Station, there isn't room for one loss to Mizzou or Vanderbilt. Let alone both.
If the 2025 season plays out like O'Gara's prediction implies it might, Freeze is going to be fired. End of story.