The Auburn Tigers are coming off back-to-back losing seasons in the first two seasons of the Hugh Freeze Era. However, Freeze has put all of his cards on the table with the way the Tigers have handled the offseason – so much so that CBS Sports believes the Auburn Tigers could be a dark horse for College Football Playoffs in 2025.
CBS Sports’ Carter Bahns named the Tigers as one of his eight contenders to make a debut appearance in next year’s playoff, mostly due to quarterback addition Jackson Arnold and the receivers around him.
The Tigers offloaded 28 players, but brought in 19 in the transfer portal alone with Arnold, Georgia Tech transfer wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. and Wake Forest transfer wide receiver Horatio Fields being the most notable.
“The most notable investment came at the quarterback spot where Hugh Freeze, at long last, dipped into the portal. Jackson Arnold is a prime candidate for a post-hype explosion considering injuries ravaged his supporting cast last year at Oklahoma and that the Tigers set him up for success with loads of receiving talent,” Bahns wrote.
The pair of wide receivers will pair up with star sophomore receiver Cam Coleman, which gives the Tigers a sneaky offense in 2025 that could surprise some people. Bahns did note that even with all the talent at receiver, Auburn’s success starts with Arnold.
While not mentioned by Bahns, it’s important to note that the Tigers’ defense is also improving.
The 2025 recruiting class brought in several new defenders for the long-term future, while Auburn also added some instant-impact veterans through the transfer portal like defensive back Raion Strader from Miami (OH). They also brought in linebacker Caleb Wheatland from Maryland to pair alongside linebacker Demarcus Riddick, giving the Tigers its next pair of leaders on the defensive side of the ball.
Auburn opens the 2025 season on Aug. 29 at Baylor.
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