Alabama writer predicts 'win or be fired' Iron Bowl in 2025 for Hugh Freeze

Bama Hammer's Ronald Evans believes that Hugh Freeze's Auburn Tigers aren't prepared to contend with Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide in 2024, which will make the 2025 Iron Bowl at Jordan-Hare Stadium a "win or be fired" game for AU's head coach.

"Auburn's 2024 defensive backfield is not built to contend with a Kalen DeBoer offense," Evans prefaced before saying, "It could and should get ugly on Nick Saban Field in November. After the 2024 Iron Bowl, Freeze, then 0-2 against Alabama as the Auburn head coach will likely face a 'win or be fired' game in the 2025 season. Auburn hired Freeze to be the Alabama slayer, Auburn losing five straight to the Tide, and two post-Saban, would elicit an epic Auburn meltdown."

Auburn is currently a two-score underdog to Alabama in the 2024 Iron Bowl. It's too early to tell what direction that line may move in between now and November 30.

What we can say for certain is that a 2023 Iron Bowl win could've ensured Freeze's long-term security on the Plains and would've made his AU debut a success despite being a seven-win regular season. That loss clearly still haunts him, hence his claim that he should have four wins against Nick Saban.

Is the 2025 Iron Bowl a win or be fired game for Hugh Freeze?

Now that's a difficult question to answer. What we know right now is that Freeze has the program moving in the right direction from a recruiting standpoint. We also know that things change quickly on the trail in the NIL era and losses piling up can have the 2025 and 2026 classes falling in a hurry.

If by the end of the 2025 season there's still no progression from six wins, the 2025 Iron Bowl could prove to be make or break for Freeze's Tigers tenure. If Auburn wins plenty of games the next two years but can't overcome their in-state blood rival, though, it won't be.