Auburn’s 33-24 win against Arkansas witnessed some happy tears from Hugh Freeze. After a brutal stretch of four straight SEC losses and mounting pressure from fans and media, Freeze’s Tigers finally broke through with their first conference victory. But it wasn’t really the offense or defense in specific that led to Hugh Freeze’s crying during the post-game presser. It was the one man in the special teams who did the deed.

The realization came when Auburn Kicker Alex McPherson took all the blame after Auburn’s tragic 23-17 loss against Missouri. In that game, McPherson struggled on field goals, making only 1 of 4 attempts with an average attempt distance of 25 yards. After the win against the Razorbacks, Freeze broke down when asked about him.  “He’s the first one in my office on Monday to say I’m sorry,” Freeze said with teary eyes.

“‘Coach, I lost that game for you.’ And I said, ‘dude, I believe in you, and you’ll make the next one.’ And he ties the school record today with six, so what a redemption story that is.” McPherson was perfect on field goals (6-for-6) with a long of 47 yards and made 19 points. Now, McPherson’s inconsistency was largely due to his physical state. The kicker has been battling ulcerative colitis since last year. Now that the rough condition has kept him in a day-to-day state all year. Despite the rough patch, Hugh Freeze’s belief in McPherson never wavered.

“He’s mentally strong. He’s been through a lot and certainly feels the weight of the loss for everybody,” Freeze said. “Feeling like, ‘Man, if I could just make one of those, maybe the game is different.’ Nobody in here doubts him or has any less belief that he’s going to make the next one.” 

This belief is because McPherson has already proved himself back in 2023. That year, McPherson was rock solid with a perfect 100% on field goals and extra points. He nailed a 53-yard field goal that season. His absence last year led to other Auburn kickers taking his place. The Tigers tried Towns McGough and Ian Vachon, but neither could really get going.

That’s why McPherson’s return in this win against the Razorbacks marks a beautiful story of redemption. But it wasn’t just Alex who was steering the ship.

Hugh Freeze’s other reasons to cry happy tears

The game started rough, with Auburn falling behind 21-10. QB Jackson Arnold struggled through the first half, getting sacked a bunch and throwing a disastrous pick-six just before halftime that swung momentum to Arkansas. But then, Freeze played a major gamble on Arnold. He benched Arnold at halftime and put in Ashton Daniels, who immediately sparked the offense. Daniels completed 6 of 8 passes for 77 yards and was a strong rusher.

Other than that, Jeremiah Cobb had a field day running around Reynolds Stadium. Cobb carried the ball 28 times, which is nine more than his season high, racking up 153 yards, 32 over his previous best in 2025. His running really opened up the Tigers’ offense, and his 5.5 yards per carry kept the chains moving for Auburn. The offensive fireworks aren’t over yet. Cam Coleman, who hauled the ball twice for 27 yards, ignited the fans with his spectacular one-handed catch.

He rushed for 35 yards on 7 carries, helping Auburn chip away at the deficit with three consecutive field goals to start the second half. And as things started to click, Auburn’s secondary became the star of the show in the fourth quarter. Rayshawn Pleasant’s two clutch fourth-quarter interceptions, including a thrilling 49-yard pick-six, injected energy and hope. Auburn’s defense forced four turnovers in the final 15 minutes, wiping out an 8-point deficit and stifling Arkansas’ comeback attempts.