Paul Finebaum describes bleak outlook for Auburn, Hugh Freeze after loss to Oklahoma

Auburn gave up 17 unanswered points to end a 27-21 loss to Oklahoma this weekend that drops their record to 2-3 on the season. A year that started with five consecutive home games ahead of a grueling SEC schedule in the program’s second season under Hugh Freeze.

From upset losses, to turnover-riddled games, and even quarterback changes, the Tigers have seen it all in a chaotic, disappointing start to the season. Which college football analyst Paul Finebaum reacted to Monday morning on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning.

“I hate to say that I came away on one level impressed, but I did like what I saw in many ways. But you can’t scrape away adjectives and platitudes for just one of the worst months of Auburn football I can remember,” Finebaum said.

“There’s no there’s no sugar coating it, there’s no getting around it, and all stems to a decision that Hugh Freeze made in the offseason that we all know about. But it has boomeranged on him and I don’t see a path for Auburn the rest of the way.”

Finebaum is referring to Freeze and the Tigers not adding a quarterback from the transfer portal to their roster this offseason. Rolling with veteran Payton Thorne under center, who started 12 games for the Tigers last season and was benched this year before earning his spot back ahead of the Oklahoma game.

“The schedule is simply too insurmountable. I really thought in July they would be undefeated heading into the Georgia game,” Finebaum admitted. “They have three losses now and they’re going to have to pull some stunning upsets to even have a mediocre season. I don’t think that’s possible.”

The Sooners represented one of five ranked conference opponents that the Tigers face this season, with only one of those remaining games taking place in Jordan-Hare Stadium. A tough road that Finebaum believes could potentially lead to bad news just two years into Freeze’s tenure.

“So when this season ends, assuming that what the predictors say is true, Hugh Freeze has some serious problems. I felt going into the game Cole, being down there, the fans were on the same page. I talked to some people on Friday night, no one was selling Hugh Freeze out. Check back in a few weeks when a few more losses start to pile up,” Fineabum concluded.