Auburn entered last year’s match-up against Arkansas with their offense ranked 6th nationally and 28th against Power 4 opponents. Even though Hugh Freeze had already suffered a gut-wrenching loss against California, the game against the Razorbacks was supposed to be the redemption arc. But what in turn ensued was utter chaos, and Razorbacks, who themselves struggled in the season, crumbled Hugh Freeze’s offense, defeating him 24-14. That loss signified one of the most concerning problems for Hugh Freeze’s offense, which again is coming back to haunt him.

Why the Tigers lost against Arkansas is no secret, still, for the less versed, the cracks ran deeper than one can imagine. Freeze made a call by starting Hank Brown behind the center in place of Payton Thorne, and the gamble backfired. Brown threw three interceptions in the first half and averaged just 5.5 yards per attempt. Freeze went back to Payton Thorne after halftime, but Thorne again came with turnover problems. Thorne also threw an interception, and any remaining hope got extinguished by Damari Alston’s fumble near the goal line. Even Hugh Freeze knew that the QBs were woeful.

“We can’t turn the ball over this much. We’ve got to coach the quarterbacks better and coach the running backs better in ball security. I don’t have the words. It is just sickening. Sickening that we can’t take care of the football on the offense,” declared a frustrated Hugh Freeze after that game. But the woes didn’t end with the Arkansas loss; on the contrary, the Tigers went on to have 4 straight defeats and even lost against Vanderbilt later. However, now that Jackson Arnold has arrived at Auburn, the woes will finally fade, right?

Not really! At least according to Blain Craine, the host of the ‘Crain and Company’ podcast. “It’s time for Auburn to have a quarterback who just makes the right decision at the right time. And sometimes the right decision is what throw the ball away. Getting a couple of yards, getting down, Auburn has gotten into the place where you can see the mistake. It’s like watching the rain. Come right. Oh no, the rain’s coming, what are we gonna do? What are we going to do? And then this rate we can sit on the way in the rain. How about you just walk your a– inside and do the right thing?“ But why the harsh take?

Jackson Arnold came from Oklahoma this year, who themselves finished 6-7 last year and went 2-6 in the conference, just like Auburn. Even though Arnold started the majority of the games for the Sooners, he managed to garner just 1,421 yards and 444 rushing yards. That’s not something that gives results in the SEC. Against Missouri, Arnold managed just 74 yards and averaged just 3.1 yards per attempt. While Arnold flashed his potential in moments, inconsistency defined much of his 2024 season, explaining, in part, the skepticism by Blaine Craine.

A 4,527-yard threat makes things more tricky for Auburn in 2025

The 2025 schedule for Auburn might not be too difficult, since on the surface, they have 3-4 tricky games to face. These include their week 4 matchup against Oklahoma and week 5 against the Aggies on the road, followed by Georgia and Alabama at last. Yet, other teams like Missouri and Arkansas can also surprise them, but the major threat will surely come in week 1 against Baylor.

“Sawyer Robertson, it’s the improvisation stuff that worries me from an Auburn defensive standpoint,” said Jake Craine on Craine and Company’s podcast. Co-host David Cone chimed in and agreed with the threat that Hugh Freeze will need to tackle in just week 1. “He was a 3000-yard passer, 371 yards, 62.2% completion percentage, threw 28 touchdowns at Mississippi State, eight interceptions for a quarterback rating of 153.1. Like, the kid can play ball.”

Baylor has one of college football’s top returning QBs, Sawyer Robertson, who had 3,071 yards in passing and 230 yards in rushing last year. In total, he accumulated 4,257 yards, and stopping him will be a herculean task. Plus, the QB will also have elite protection, too, with Josh Cameron returning to the interior O-line, and he is one of the Big 12’s best. All signs point to a high-stakes opener; Auburn will have to bring its elite game, and one slip-up could mean lost momentum for the whole season.