Paul Finebaum explains how Hugh Freeze changed perception around him with win vs. Texas A&M

With their biggest win of the season and in the short tenure so far of Hugh Freeze, Paul Finebaum thinks the outlook has changed down on The Plains.

On Monday, Finebaum assessed the effect of the 43-41 win for Auburn in quadruple overtime over No. 15 Texas A&M on Saturday. He said it has obviously changed a lot of what he has thought about the Tigers because of what it could mean for them in the future. That’s especially so when he considers where the team was essentially a year ago to the day last fall.

“Of course it did because, when you get something like that this late, that’s what you feed off of,” said Finebaum today on ‘McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning’.

“I just think back to the very same Saturday a year ago when we saw this program reach its lowest point – losing to New Mexico State, coming back and then letting it all go away the following week on The Gravedigger,” Finebaum recalled. “So, I mean, I think that there’s a lot to build on.”

A lot of how the win over the Aggies will affect Auburn is what it’ll do for how people can view their program. That starts with their own fans who have watched them lose six games this season with four of those being at home and five of which were there for them to win at some point or another. That also includes recruits who saw how things can still be for the Tigers.

“I think it made up for some of those disastrous finishes and, maybe, because Auburn has lost so many games down the stretch like that Missouri game, which it had won like other games, which it should have won,” said Finebaum. “I think, for that fanbase? That’s where I was most impressed. Not that you’re surprised or anyone should be but to see that reaction, to see the joy in that stadium at midnight where I was watching it? It was really wonderful to see. I think that’s why – a lot of people thought it. A&M was going into something that was going to be more difficult than just show up, grab the win, and get ready for Texas.”

“You know, Hugh Freeze? I believe that helped him from a recruiting standpoint, which is the most important thing right now, Finebaum added.

However, Finebaum isn’t sure if it’ll do enough, if anything, over the next few days to make too much of a difference in The Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa.

“I mean, I don’t know exactly how it affects this weekend,” noted Finebaum. “I think that this game is standalone. Everyone knows what it’s all about, although this year feels a little bit weirder.”

Auburn has been disappointed for much of this year as they’re still a win shy of being bowl-eligible and are still likely to finish at .500 or worse for the fourth consecutive season. Still, getting that first ranked win under Freeze can make a difference in what his third year could be with the Tigers.

“So, yeah, it’s been a negative season, it’s been a lot of disappointment but something like that can really ignite you in the offseason,” Finebaum said.