It’s been a cruel couple of weeks for college football head coaches. In just 10 weeks of the season, four SEC coaches got fired. The latest (and most obvious) cut was Auburn’s own Hugh Freeze. Auburn officially parted ways with him on November 2. Simply put, the program stacked up more losses (19) than wins (15) under Freeze, and barely competed in the conference. That doesn’t fly in the SEC. Now, the Tigers are staring at a coaching dilemma: ride with an in-house contingency plan, or take a $24.8 million swing at a Big 12 heavyweight.

On November 5th, College football insider Mike Gittens of The War Rapport hopped onto ‘That SEC Podcast’ and kept it blunt about the Auburn Tigers job. According to Mike, the team’s current situation doesn’t necessarily require a complete rebuild. Instead, the focus should be on holding onto the roster and making strategic decisions in the coming weeks.

Gittens explained when asked about whether the Tigers are looking at a year or two of rebuilding: “If you can hold the roster together now, you’ve got a couple of options here doing this. When they did, I think it’s perfect, because you’ve got two top 15 matchups, and you’ve got a guy who essentially will be auditioning for the job, and DJ Durkin, if he wins the next three. Can you imagine not hiring that guy? Because if you, if you keep them, you’re going to keep your defense together.”

The Tigers’ associate/interim head coach DJ Durkin has some big shoes to fill in the next three games. First, they need to win as many games as possible and expect some kind of fire. And also need some liveliness from the talented offense. Second, player retention matters. Word on the street is DJ Durkin already appointed Derrick Nix as the primary play-caller on the offense. The biggest problem with the Tigers is their offense. For reference, the Tigers’ defense is one of only three teams (No.1 ranked Ohio State, No. 2 ranked Indiana Hoosiers) in the FBS that has yet to allow more than 23 points per game, yet they are 4-5 this season.

Despite having one of the best wide receiver corps in the country, Auburn averages just 329 yards and 22 points per game. What makes this even worse is their QB. Jackson Arnold has the fewest touchdown passes (six) among SEC starting quarterbacks. Moreover, Gittens believes that if Auburn lights up Vanderbilt offensively this week, Durkin and Nix will probably remain in place. If not, Auburn will have to pursue the coach with the strongest betting odds for the job.

The $24.6 million man

While DJ Durkin has internal support, the betting markets tell a different story. According to SEC odds, Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham has emerged as the favorite to take over at Auburn. Dillingham ranks as the 25th highest-paid coach in college football, earning a base salary of $7.44 million for the 2025 season. With performance bonuses that could easily raise his pay above $8 million. However, his contract includes a steep $24.6 million buyout clause if Arizona State were to fire him without cause by December 1, 2025. That makes him a costly target for any program.

Despite that, Dillingham’s name continues to rise. BetOnline lists him at 3/1 odds, the best of any potential candidate for Auburn’s head coaching job. Other names being mentioned include Tulane’s Jon Sumrall, who holds a 15-7 record, and former Penn State head coach James Franklin, who was recently let go after 12 seasons. Still, Dillingham’s youth, offensive creativity, and prior connection to Auburn. He even served their as offensive coordinator in 2019, make him an especially appealing choice.

Dillingham is specially known as an offensive innovator who turns bottom- ranked programs into high-scoring contenders. His work at Oregon, Memphis, and Auburn helped him build that reputation. Including his 2019 season when the Tigers averaged 33.2 points per game. Now at Arizona State, he has led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 title game and a playoff run, holding a 20-15 record through 2025.

If Auburn lands him, many believe he could turn the Tigers into an 8- or 9-win program within three years.