Hugh Freeze made a QB change in the second half. Was it helpful? No way. The Kentucky Wildcats planted a victory flag in a sold-out Jordan-Hare Stadium crowd. Moving into the Kentucky game, Freeze stood on a 15-18 slippery ground across three seasons. Josh Pate had already set out an ultimatum for the Auburn head coach about the longevity of his chair. Now that the Tigers tasted yet another L, 3-10 against the Wildcats, Freeze is running low on hope.

On November 1, senior sports reporter Michael Casagrande quoted the Auburn head coach after the game. “I wish I could ask for patience, but that’s not really something people want to give in this day and time,” Freeze made a heartbreaking confession. “And I understand that. I just know that we’re so dang close, and if we had a few things go our way earlier in the year, I think we’re looking at a whole different deal. But it didn’t, and that’s life. And that’s the game of football.”

As the Jordan-Hare Stadium was filled to the brink, it reminded fans of the scenes from Beaver Stadium, when 111k fans broke into “Fire James Franklin” chants. Will history repeat itself for Freeze? The War Rapport show host, Mike G. posted a clip from the Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday, and it does not send good vibes for Freeze. As for the clip, the analyst reported, “Game is over but thousands have stayed to chant “fire hugh.””

The Tigers managed only three points, their lowest total since a 20-3 defeat to Texas A&M back in 202, and the setback to Kentucky marked an even deeper dip for a program already short on highlights. We have seen how Freeze stayed confused about his starter, claiming “both have been really good.” However, Ashton Daniels made his first Auburn start on Saturday. Daniels connected on just 13 of 28 throws for 108 yards as Auburn’s offense sputtered all night. He was pulled late in the third quarter for Jackson Arnold, who himself had been benched a week earlier against Arkansas.

But Freeze’s trial-and-error method did not pay off. Daniels re-entered for the final drive, yet the Tigers’ scoreboard still read zero. What must be hurting more for Freeze right now? The Wildcats secured their first conference win of the season despite limited offensive success. As Justin Ferguson quoted the Tigers’ head coach after the heartbreaking loss, “I’ve never quite experienced this before, and it’s quite frustrating.” Looks like Pate’s prediction is going to come true.

Hugh Freeze’s seat gets heated up 

Florida fired coach Billy Napier midway through his fourth season. LSU pulled the trigger on coach Brian Kelly midway through his fourth season. For Freeze, he might get some grace marks, as he is in his third year. Last month, with the college football hitting the firing head coaches trend, Auburn athletic director John Cohen was hit up with the question of getting rid of Freeze. 

“I don’t know if I’m going to walk outside and my car is going to start or not, I think it is,” Cohen kept things straight. “I have an expectation it will. But if my car doesn’t start enough, then I will evaluate that and make decisions about my car. But that’s not my expectation at this point about our football program.” That’s when the analyst, Pate, stirred the pot a little more. Already, things are hanging by a thread after being under Freeze. Auburn went 6-7 and 5-7 in previous seasons.

“I don’t think anything’s changed with Hugh Freeze there. If anyone was watching this thinking, well, if he loses, he’s fired, but if he wins, job saved. From what I hear, I don’t think anything changed. My guess is there will still be a change at Auburn,” said the analyst on his podcast. 

Now that the loss against the Kentucky Wildcats has sunk Hugh Freeze’s Auburn to 4-5 on the season with a 1-5 record in SEC play, the head coach’s buyout figures have picked up the buzz. When Auburn cut ties with Bryan Harsin, it turned to Freeze, handing him a six-year, $39 million deal. Now, if the Tigers decide to hit reset again, they’ll owe Freeze $15.4 million, nearly the same tab they paid to show Harsin the door. It’s time for Auburn to decide to hit a costly swap or suffer with the present head coach.