Hugh Freeze welcomes challenge of facing Auburn rivals Georgia, Alabama ahead of 2023 Iron Bowl

Auburn has always faced the difficult challenge of playing Alabama and Georgia every year. The mountain became even tougher to climb once Kirby Smart got his team rolling. At one point, in the span of three weeks, the Tigers had to play against two teams vying for College Football Playoff spots.

For at least the 2024 season, the Iron Bowl and Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry will remain on the schedule for the same year. But once the SEC makes a scheduling change, Georgia could become an every-other-year opponent. Hugh Freeze would be disappointed if so, saying he enjoys the prospect of facing Auburn’s two biggest rivals annually.

“I’ve always welcomed the challenges of playing the likes of Alabama and Georgia,” Freeze said during Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference. “I think that’s something that I really enjoy. I think our kids, hopefully, will take that same mentality.”

To find the last time Auburn and Georgia did not play each other, you have to go back to 1943. World War II meant the Tigers could not field a team and caused a one-year hiatus in the rivalry. Since then, there have been over 80 meetings between the two.

Freeze has been consistent with his answer regarding the Georgia matchup too. He hinted at the scheduling changes preventing an annual matchup following Sept. 30’s loss on the Plains. Maintaining the game has been something Freeze has wanted throughout his short tenure at Auburn.

“I’ll miss playing Georgia every year because I just got to experience it for my first time and I loved every minute of it other than the outcome,” Freeze said back in early Oct. “I love competing against those type teams. And so there are some changes coming.”

The Iron Bowl is the Iron Bowl. The SEC knows better than to mess with that, especially with its league offices based in Birmingham, which is practically halfway between both schools. From a television-rating basis alone, it’s too important to consider taking off the schedule on an annual basis.

If Greg Sankey ultimately decides on a 7+1 scheduling model instead of 6+3, Auburn would likley be given Alabama as its protected rival. In that case, Freeze would not receive his wish of also playing Georgia annually and would instead see them on odd or even years.

This season’s contest at Jordan-Hare Stadium was a tight one, giving Georgia a bit of a scare. Freeze will have to soak in the atmosphere of Sanford Stadium next year before the potential changes are made.