Greg McElroy on Auburn's chances to have a winning season in 2025: 'I love it'

2025 will be Hugh Freeze’s third season at the helm of Auburn‘s football program. After finishing each of his first two seasons coaching the Tigers with a losing record, can Auburn turn their fortune around this fall?

Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy and host of Always College Football, seems to think so. Believing Freeze will have Auburn playing to their standard in 2025, he sees the Tigers winning up to nine games this season.

“I love it. I thought last year they were going to have a winning season, so I’ve been burned before,” McElroy said of the Auburn football team. “But I look at where they’ve immediately upgraded their roster. A starting quarterback (Jackson Arnold). I thought Payton Thorne was a little underrated last year, but at the end of the day, too many mistakes from a few too many chances with the football. A couple of those interceptions led two losses.

“I mean, flat out, there’s no denying it, if he doesn’t turn the ball over against Cal, if the turnovers don’t happen against Oklahoma, if they don’t start the backup against Arkansas, I think it’s a very different season for the Auburn Tigers (in 2024).”

With Arnold under center, McElroy expects the Tigers to be able to run the ball more effectively with a dual-threat option under center. He expects the offensive line to be the catalyst for Auburn’s success on the ground.

Out wide, McElroy praised the addition of Eric Singleton who transferred into the program from Georgia Tech calling him one of the best wideouts in college football. Cam Coleman is back for a second season after having a productive true freshman season in 2024. Defensively, he expects Auburn to be “rock solid” at all three levels. He doesn’t expect their defensive effort to be far off from where the Tigers finished last fall.

McElroy looked toward the Tigers’ schedule to complete his final projection of Auburn’s season. Beginning the season on the road at Baylor, they’ll also travel to Oklahoma and Texas A&M in SEC play, and will host Georgia and Alabama down the stretch.

“If they can get hot early and beat Baylor in the non conference and carry over some of that momentum in the regular season, we’ve been looking at an Auburn team that’s 4-1, 5-0 before Georgia comes to town.

“So yes, I think, Auburn absolutely will have a winning season this year. I’d be surprised if it’s not eight or nine wins.”