Only One SEC Media Member Picked Auburn to Win the Conference, but Is There a Legitimate Case for the Tigers in 2025?
At SEC Media Days, where hundreds of reporters, analysts, and insiders cast their votes on the upcoming season, consensus tends to form quickly around the conference’s elite. Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and LSU received the lion’s share of attention in 2025, as expected. Each has the blue-chip talent, depth, and recent success to justify championship hype. But in the middle of the sea of ballots that predicted Auburn would finish near the bottom of the SEC standings, one lone vote stood out. One voice picked the Tigers not just to compete, not just to surprise—but to win the entire Southeastern Conference.
At first glance, it seemed like a misprint. Auburn? A team that finished 6–6 last season? A program that hasn’t won more than eight games since 2019? One that has undergone a head coaching change, staff turnover, and a complete offensive and defensive overhaul in the past 24 months?
Yes, that Auburn.
While the vast majority of voters remain skeptical, that lone believer may not be as irrational as it seems. Beneath the surface of Auburn’s recent struggles lies a program that has quietly built the foundational pieces necessary for a potential breakout. Hugh Freeze, entering his second full season on the Plains, has retooled the roster with transfers, reinvigorated recruiting, and instilled a culture of accountability. And in the unpredictable world of college football—especially in a year that sees the SEC expand and the playoff field grow—sometimes chaos favors the bold.
The case for Auburn begins on defense, where the Tigers feature three preseason All-SEC selections: cornerback D.J. James, defensive lineman Marcus Harris, and linebacker Eugene Asante. James is a lockdown corner with NFL talent, capable of taking away an entire side of the field. Harris brings a disruptive presence up front, while Asante is a tone-setting linebacker who led the team in tackles last season. Together, they form the backbone of a defense that should be faster, more physical, and more confident in Year 2 under defensive coordinator Ron Roberts.
But defense alone won’t win the SEC. Auburn’s offensive revival must be the centerpiece of any championship conversation—and that’s where Freeze’s influence becomes most significant. Known for his offensive creativity and quarterback development, Freeze has spent the offseason reworking the Tigers’ attack. He’s brought in new playmakers, added depth along the offensive line, and doubled down on competition at quarterback. The hope is that the offense no longer has to be carried by Jarquez Hunter alone.
Hunter, a Second-Team All-SEC selection, is coming off a 1,000-yard rushing season despite facing eight-man boxes nearly every week. With more balance in the passing game, he could explode in 2025. Ja’Varrius Johnson returns as a vertical threat, and the receiving corps has been bolstered by both incoming freshmen and portal talent. If the offensive line holds up—and that’s still a major if—Auburn has the skill-position talent to score with anyone in the SEC.
Quarterback remains the ultimate X-factor. Payton Thorne returns after an uneven 2024 campaign, but Freeze hasn’t handed him the job. Freshman Walker White, one of the nation’s top dual-threat recruits, could make a serious push. Whoever starts must improve Auburn’s passing efficiency and avoid costly turnovers—two areas that doomed the Tigers in key moments last year. Freeze has insisted that the quarterback room is stronger than it’s been in years, and if he can coax stability from the position, Auburn’s offense could surprise.
The special teams unit also gives Auburn an edge. Kicker Alex McPherson is one of the best in the SEC, if not the country. His range and accuracy allow Freeze to be more aggressive in late-game scenarios, knowing he has a reliable weapon from 50 yards and beyond. In tight SEC matchups, that matters.
But let’s be clear: picking Auburn to win the SEC still qualifies as a hot take. The Tigers’ 2025 schedule is absolutely brutal. Road games at Alabama and Georgia. Home matchups against Texas and LSU. A September showdown with Clemson. Even the so-called “easier” games—Arkansas, Kentucky, and Mississippi State—could be landmines. There’s little margin for error.
Still, sometimes the best teams aren’t the most talented—they’re the most cohesive, the most adaptable, and the most battle-tested. If Auburn can get through September with only one loss and find a rhythm on offense, confidence will build. And when confidence builds in Jordan-Hare Stadium, chaos often follows.
There’s also the element of surprise. Unlike Georgia or Alabama, who wear the target every week, Auburn enters 2025 as an underdog. Opponents may not prepare for them with the same intensity. That can be an advantage, especially if Freeze continues to lean into creative play-calling and tempo to catch defenses off guard.
Auburn’s roster might not be as deep as Alabama’s or as explosive as Texas’, but it’s balanced. The team has a strong spine—elite players at cornerback, linebacker, defensive line, running back, kicker, and wide receiver. If the quarterback position stabilizes and the offensive line improves, there’s no reason Auburn can’t win nine or ten games. And in a conference where tiebreakers, injuries, and upsets shape the standings, that might be enough to reach Atlanta.
It’s also worth remembering that Auburn has a history of shocking the college football world. The 2010 national title run. The 2013 “Kick Six” and subsequent SEC Championship. The 2017 Iron Bowl upset. This program doesn’t always follow linear progressions—it explodes, often when least expected. Hugh Freeze himself has a track record of pulling off upsets. During his time at Ole Miss, he beat Nick Saban in back-to-back seasons and brought the Rebels to national prominence. He understands what it takes to compete in the SEC. That experience matters.
Critics will say that Auburn is still too young, too inconsistent, and too early in its rebuild to be taken seriously as an SEC title contender. And on paper, that may be true. But championships aren’t always won on paper. They’re won by teams that grow into themselves over a season, that get hot at the right time, and that believe when nobody else does.
One SEC media member clearly believes. And maybe, just maybe, they’re seeing something that others aren’t. Maybe they see a coach with a chip on his shoulder, a roster filled with veteran leaders, and a schedule that—while difficult—provides ample opportunity to make a statement. Maybe they remember how quickly college football narratives can shift, and how one big upset can alter the trajectory of an entire season.
Auburn has talent. It has coaching. It has momentum in recruiting. What it lacks in respect, it may make up for in hunger.
If the Tigers start strong, win a key early game against Clemson or LSU, and get competent quarterback play, they could ride that momentum into SEC contention. And if chaos unfolds at the top—if Georgia stumbles, if Alabama takes a step back, if Texas proves mortal—then that lone voice that picked Auburn to win the SEC might not sound so lonely by November.
It’s a long shot, no doubt. But Auburn fans know that long shots have a funny way of becoming reality in Jordan-Hare. And in a league where the margins are razor-thin and every week brings the potential for chaos, sometimes believing in the improbable is the most logical thing you can do.
