Auburn Tigers Football Faces Defining 2025 Season as Phil Steele’s Forecast Highlights Crucial Year Under Hugh Freeze’s Leadership
The 2025 college football season is fast approaching, and the Auburn Tigers find themselves at a pivotal crossroads. Under the direction of head coach Hugh Freeze, the program is attempting to regain its footing among the SEC’s elite after a turbulent few years. With the release of Phil Steele’s 2025 College Football Preview, expectations for Auburn have been clarified, and the pressure has never been more tangible.
Phil Steele, widely regarded as one of the most respected and thorough college football analysts, offers a forecast that places the Auburn Tigers in a position where success is possible but far from guaranteed. Freeze’s second full offseason has been busy—stacking up recruiting wins, reshaping his staff, and doubling down on player development. But as Steele’s magazine points out, winning in the SEC, particularly with the expanded 16-team format, remains an unforgiving gauntlet.
The good news for Auburn fans is that Steele sees improvement across the board. In his national rankings, Auburn lands just outside the Top 25, a sign that while the Tigers aren’t yet considered playoff contenders, they are firmly in the conversation. Steele praises Auburn’s blend of youth and experience, noting that several underclassmen flashed elite potential in 2024, and with another offseason of development, they could become the SEC’s breakout stars.
At quarterback, the Tigers enter the 2025 season with cautious optimism. After an inconsistent year under center in 2024, the competition this offseason has been fierce. Holden Geriner returns with valuable game reps, but the buzz surrounding true freshman Walker White continues to grow. Steele mentions White as a “wild card” who could change the direction of Auburn’s season. Known for his dual-threat abilities and strong football IQ, White has already earned the respect of teammates during spring practice. Whether he earns the Week 1 start or not, Steele believes he’ll see the field early and often.
One of Steele’s primary points of emphasis is Auburn’s improved offensive line. The 2024 season was plagued by inconsistent protection and poor run-blocking efficiency, but Freeze and offensive line coach Jake Thornton have aggressively targeted upgrades. The unit returns four starters and adds two highly regarded transfers, including an SEC-experienced tackle who brings immediate leadership and toughness. Steele projects this group to be one of the most improved in the conference, giving the Tigers a chance to establish the run and open up play-action passing.
Running back continues to be a strong point, and Steele is bullish on sophomore sensation Jeremiah Cobb. After flashing brilliance in his limited touches as a freshman, Cobb is now the feature back. His acceleration, vision, and versatility out of the backfield make him a legitimate All-SEC candidate. Alongside Cobb, Damari Alston offers veteran leadership, and true freshman Duke Collins could be a factor late in the season. Steele calls the running back room “deep, dynamic, and one of the program’s best assets.”
The wide receiver corps, long a weak spot for Auburn, shows signs of turning the corner. Phil Steele notes the arrival of two speedy transfers from the ACC and Big Ten as key pieces in reshaping the offense. Rivaldo Fairweather remains a matchup nightmare at tight end, and his chemistry with Geriner or White will be crucial. Sophomore Camden Brown and junior Ja’Varrius Johnson provide reliable options, but the Tigers will need someone to emerge as a consistent downfield threat if they are to compete with the league’s top defenses.
Defensively, Steele’s evaluation is cautiously optimistic. Auburn’s defensive front was inconsistent last year, but returning starters like Marcus Harris and Keldric Faulk offer hope for more pressure and gap control. The linebacking corps benefits from the return of Eugene Asante, who led the team in tackles last season and plays with the kind of energy that galvanizes the entire defense. The addition of a versatile hybrid linebacker-safety transfer gives Auburn more flexibility in their nickel packages, something Steele sees as crucial in the modern SEC.
In the secondary, Steele believes Auburn may quietly have one of the more underrated defensive backfields in the country. DJ James and Keionte Scott anchor a veteran group that held up well despite facing some of the league’s top passing attacks last year. The depth at safety is also strong, with Zion Puckett and Caleb Wooden returning, along with promising newcomers. Steele gives this group a top-three grade in the SEC, noting their experience, ball skills, and football IQ.
Of course, talent alone won’t determine Auburn’s 2025 fate. As Steele’s forecast outlines, the schedule is one of the toughest in the nation. The Tigers open with a neutral-site clash against a resurgent West Virginia team in Atlanta—a critical tone-setting game. Then come road tests at Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, plus home dates with Texas, Oklahoma, and LSU. There are no breathers in this lineup, and Steele points out that Auburn must start fast and stay healthy to have any shot at a nine- or ten-win season.
One of Steele’s lingering concerns is consistency in the kicking game. Field position and special teams miscues hurt the Tigers multiple times in 2024, and with the margin for error so small in SEC play, those issues must be corrected. The return of Oscar Chapman at punter is a plus, but the placekicking duties remain unsettled as two underclassmen battle for the job. Steele stresses that games against Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Florida could come down to a single kick.
Perhaps the most important element of Steele’s forecast is the overall program trajectory. Freeze was hired with the long-term vision of restoring Auburn’s national relevance. After a rocky Year 1, 2025 feels like the make-or-break campaign. Steele notes that Auburn’s recruiting has improved dramatically, especially in-state, and the Tigers are now winning more head-to-head battles with Georgia, Alabama, and LSU. The 2025 class is ranked in the top ten nationally, with multiple five-star prospects already committed.
Steele believes this recruiting momentum, combined with strategic transfer additions and internal development, sets Auburn up for a major breakthrough—if not in 2025, then by 2026. Still, he acknowledges that pressure will mount if results don’t improve this season. Freeze is beloved by players and has restored a level of discipline and accountability to the program, but Auburn is a place where patience is fleeting.
If the Tigers can find stability at quarterback, stay healthy on the offensive line, and generate more consistent pass rush on defense, Steele believes they can surprise people. A 9-3 season would put Auburn in the New Year’s Six conversation, and more importantly, reestablish the program as a national force. But a 6-6 or 7-5 campaign would leave the fan base frustrated, even if there are signs of long-term growth.
Ultimately, Steele’s 2025 forecast captures the essence of Auburn football in this current moment: a proud program hungry for a return to glory, led by a coach whose past success offers hope but not guarantees. The talent is improving, the pieces are aligning, and the urgency is palpable. The Tigers are no longer rebuilding—they’re recalibrating, reloading, and aiming to reemerge as one of college football’s most dangerous teams.
As the summer continues and fall camp looms, the spotlight only grows brighter on Hugh Freeze and his Tigers. The 2025 season isn’t just another year on The Plains—it’s a referendum on a vision, a direction, and a belief that Auburn can once again rise above the SEC’s brutal middle tier and into championship contention. Phil Steele’s analysis doesn’t shy away from the stakes, and neither should Auburn.
