Auburn Tigers football coach Hugh Freeze may not be long for the Plains after a 0-3 start to SEC play in 2025.
Losing to the top-ranked Oklahoma Sooners, Texas A&M Aggies, and Georgia Bulldogs isn't catastrophic on the surface, but that there's been minimal progression offensively after Freeze blamed issues on Payton Thorne, and it's only gotten worse with Jackson Arnold, is damning enough evidence that his system may never be good enough to be a contender in the SEC.
Freeze's tenure with the Tigers may be his final straw as a head coach in the "It Just Means More" conference, but his time with the Liberty Flames makes him a good hire for a Group of 5 team with southern ties.
If Auburn fires Freeze, these three landing spots can make sense:
UAB Blazers
The UAB Blazers fired Trent Dilfer on Sunday, ending one of the biggest misfire coaching stints of a former player that college football has seen so far. Dilfer was in over his head from a recruiting and X's and O's perspective. He didn't make good hires. He had a bad attitude with the media when they sought accountability for his 9-21 record.
Birmingham is now free of someone who promised a revival in the "Magic City," but showed no bunny under the hat.
Freeze is someone who's similarly promised a revival but failed to deliver on it. But to Freeze's credit, he at least nailed the recruiting portion of his mission at AU. A big talent advantage could be a major difference-maker in the American, and we know Freeze can raise money and bring on talent in the Yellowhammer State.
UAB could be something bigger with the right guy in charge. Rolling the dice on Freeze is an easy way to keep interest in the program high while increasing attendance at Protective Stadium. Hate-watching Alabama Crimson Tide fans or curious Tiger fans will more likely show up on a Thursday night if Freeze is coaching.
South Alabama Jaguars
All the points about getting Auburn and Alabama fans into the stadium and Freeze's in-state recruiting success applies here.
The South Alabama Jaguars are in the second year of the Major Applewhite era. Year one was far more successful in Mobile. South is another program that should be better than it is, and it should be noted that the Jags are only three years removed from a 10-win season under Kane Wommack, who's now the Alabama Crimson Tide's defensive coordinator.
Freeze has recruited the Gulf Coast well. He's got ties to Saraland, which is a major hotbed of talent in the Mobile metro. But there's a program in nearby that makes even more sense...
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
Freeze, an Oxford, Mississippi, native, can point to more success with the Ole Miss Rebels than with Auburn. His voice may be best reserved for his home state, and the Southern Miss Golden Eagles are the only non-SEC FBS team in town.
Situated an hour north of the Gulf Coast in Hattiesburg, USM isn't a football power but currently is in the midst of a 4-2 season. The Golden Eagles are on the way up under Charles Huff, who may earn his way into the conversation for better jobs if Southern Miss continues to win as they are.
Ole Miss will never trust Freeze again. The Mississippi State Bulldogs are happy with Jeff Lebby and wouldn't dump him for Freeze.
USM may be Freeze's last chance to coach in his home state. Given the school's strong Brett Favre connection, Freeze would be a perfect culture fit there.