Last and least of the wild blind dart-throwing predictions of Alabama SEC opponents is the eternal soap opera in Lee County.
Coach: Hugh Freeze (6-7, 3-5 SEC after one season at Auburn; 45-32 (58.4%) as a Power-5 coach, 89-49 overall in FBS, 138-0 in shoulda wons)
[SIDE NOTE: Bryan Harsin also went 6-7, 3-5 in his first season at AU.]
2023 record: 6-7 (3-5 in SEC, 5th in the West Division, lost the Music City Bowl)
Looking back: After three cupcake games to start the 2023 campaign, the Tigers dropped four straight to TAMU, UGA, LSU, and Ole Miss. This was followed by three wins in a row to the doormats of the league, MSU, Vandy, and Arky. Then, tragedy struck. The Auburn PlainsWarTigers were destroyed by New Mexico State at home, 31-10. Next was yet another chapter in the weird Iron Bowl series that ended in a Gravedigger W for the Tide. A sad listless loss to a Maryland playing without Lia Tagavailoa in the Music City Bowl ensured a losing season.
Returning starters: 5 on offense, 4 on defense, punter, kicker.
Key losses: OC and DC thrown under the bus after one season, RB coach Cadillac Williams resigned, CB Nehemiah Pritchett (Round 5, Seahawks), S Jaylin Simpson (Round 5, Colts), CB DJ James (Round 6, Seahawks), DT Justin Rogers (Round 7, Cowboys), DT Marcus Harris (Round 7, Texans), WR Ja’Varrius Johnson (xfer to UCF), WR Jay Fair (to So Cal), S Zion Puckett (grad), LB Larry Nixon (grad).
Top returnees: RB Jarquez Hunter (909 yds, 7 TD), leading tackler LB Eugene Asante, leading receiver TE Rivaldo Fairweather (394 yds – NOT A TYPO!), KR Keionte Scott, PK Alex McPherson, QB Payton Thorne.
Top newcomers: first time OC Derrick Nix, scandal-ridden DC DJ Durkin, WR Robert Lewis (877 yds, 7 TD, from Georgia State), WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (673-4, from Penn State), LT Percy Lewis (from Mississippi State), S Jerrin Thompson (from Texas), DT Isaiah Raikes (from TAMU), MLB Dorian Mausi (from Duke), DL Gage Keys (from Kansas), DL Trill Carter (from Texas), 5-star freshman WR Cam Coleman.
Strengths: Three of the top four running backs return led by preseason All-SEC Hunter (a fourth would’ve returned if not for getting shot in May)… Although many new faces, WRs should be better… Despite his checkered past, Durkin is an upgrade at DC… Punter and kicker are both back and are solid… Quite possibly the weakest non-conference schedule in all of FBS…
Weaknesses: Auburn fans are excited about their freshmen, several of whom who could start or highly contribute. Their enthusiasm s not unfounded, but depending on 18 year olds to lead your team can be difficult when playing in the SEC… Don’t believe the hype. Thorne is medicore to sucky… OL could be an issue as they rebuild… The secondary lost a TON of talent (See Key losses above)… The defense has some good individuals, but overall not great. There will be depth issues… Season tickets did not sell out until a few weeks ago. Is fan support wilting?…
Outlook: These days, everyone gets a pass for Year 1. Freeze has been full of a lot of big talk, but now it’s time to back it up. Another 6 or 7 win season might have the Auburn fans rolling their eyes with “here we go again”. Hunter should have a big season. The defense is a little shaky. The Tigers likely beat someone they shouldn’t – like they always do – and conversely lose to someone they shouldn’t – like they always do. Who those two opponents will be is anyone’s guess.
Win Total Odds
Over 7.5 +120 (bet $100 to win $120)
Under 7.5 -140 (bet $140 to win $100)
2024 AUBURN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE:
My Lawd! What a godawful shamelessly easy non-conference schedule. The 8th place team from the SWAC, a so-called “Power” team that is 0-1 in bowl games over the last four season, and quite possibly the two worst FBS teams in the nation for 2024. AU misses Texas, LSU and Tennessee, but still has trips to Alabama, Georgia, and Mizzou to go with hosting TAMU and Okie.
Aubie at home is always dangerous. Aubie on the road is a different animal. Alabama 48-24.
Sat, Aug 31 Alabama A&M – W
Sat, Sep 7 Cal – W
Sat, Sep 14 New Mexico – W – UNM just lost at home to Montana State.
Sat, Sep 21 Arkansas – W
Sat, Sep 28 Oklahoma – L – this one could get weird.
Sat, Oct 5 at Georgia – L
Sat, Oct 19 at Missouri – L
Sat, Oct 26 at Kentucky – W – This could be a toss up.
Sat, Nov 2 Vanderbilt – W
Sat, Nov 16 Louisiana-Monroe – W – projected 2.5 wins.
Sat, Nov 23 Texas A&M – L – this one could go the other way.
Sat, Nov 30 at Alabama – L
Sat, Aug 31 vs Western Kentucky
Sat, Sep 7 vs South Florida
Sat, Sep 14 @ Wisconsin
Sat, Sep 28 vs Georgia
Sat, Oct 5 @ Vanderbilt
Sat, Oct 12 vs South Carolina
Sat, Oct 19 @ Tennessee
Sat, Oct 26 vs Missouri
Sat, Nov 9 @ LSU
Sat, Nov 16 vs Mercer
Sat, Nov 23 @ Oklahoma
Sat, Nov 30 vs Auburn
NORMAN, Oklahoma — The stage was set for Oklahoma. Heck, the Sooners earned the right to set it. This was supposed to be the ushering in of a new era of postseason football for the No. 8 team in the country that had won 10 games in what was one of the toughest schedules this year.
No. 9 Alabama was even one of those teams that Oklahoma beat on its way to earning this spot. And Saturday night, all was going well for the Sooners. It was going so well, in fact, that after the first quarter, some Oklahoma fans might’ve peeked at flights and hotel rates for the Rose Bowl from inside Memorial Stadium.
And then the Alabama Crimson Tide curled and rolled the Sooners, 34-24, and are headed to Pasadena. After opening with 17 unanswered points, Oklahoma collapsed under the weight of that wave, becoming the only team in College Football Playoff history to blow a 17-point lead. And now, the Sooners have done it twice — before Saturday, in 2018 against Georgia.
[Best Teams in the College Football Playoff Era: Creating the Ultimate 12-team CFP]
Here are my takeaways from Alabama’s College Football Playoff first-round victory against Oklahoma on Saturday:
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: Zabien Brown #2 of the Alabama Crimson Tide stiff-arms John Mateer #10 of the Oklahoma Sooners during the second quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff first-round game on December 19, 2025. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is an avid reader and listener of college football news. Following the largest comeback win in Alabama postseason history, Simpson took a moment to facetiously thank media members for choosing Oklahoma to win on Saturday night.
“I guess we can thank you guys for that,” an emboldened Simpson said. “You guys kind of wrote us off in a sort of way. So I appreciate that.”
After building a three-score lead, the Sooners watched the Crimson Tide recover a fumbled punt, pick off Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer and return it 50 yards to the end zone — all before their First Team All-American kicker Tate Sandell missed not one but two field goals in the final minutes to solidify the worst collapse in College Football Playoff history.
Meanwhile, the Alabama Crimson Tide will prepare to take on No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl for the CFP quarterfinal game. This team that punches back and played its best football with its back against the wall is one that the Hoosiers must prepare for on New Year’s Day.
[College Football Playoff Predictions: First-Round Winners to The National Champion]
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: John Mateer #10 of the Oklahoma Sooners is hit by Deontae Lawson #0 of the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first quarter during the College Football Playoff first-round game on December 19, 2025. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
The Crimson Tide began down — just like they did against Georgia in the SEC championship game. But the last three quarters of Saturday’s game demonstrated Alabama to be just who it says it is: the kind of team that can open with a loss to a bad Florida State and also be the first team in six years to walk into Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, and come out with a win.
DeBoer’s task now is to find a way to make certain that the team that showed up at Georgia earlier this season and at Oklahoma in the first round is the same one against the Hoosiers. Linebacker Deontae Lawson said that’s his job too. But Bama’s best trait isn’t one that shows itself until it’s in a fight for its life.
“Man, I just think we’re a resilient team,” Lawson said. “And even though we were down 17-0, we didn’t really look at the scoreboard. Coach DeBoer always says, ‘Keep playing the game. The game will come back to you.’ … We just keep fighting.”
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: Head coach Brent Venables of the Oklahoma Sooners speaks to an official during the fourth quarter against the Alabama Crimson Tide on December 19, 2025. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Let’s look at the bigger ones:
These are blunders. Errors that aren’t forced but self-inflicted. It’s difficult to win any game with those kinds of mistakes on your drive chart. It’s nearly impossible in a game of this magnitude, against a team as talented and as resilient as the Crimson Tide.
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA: Keon Keeley #31 of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates after defeating the Oklahoma Sooners in the College Football Playoff first-round game. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Oklahoma usually plays 50 Cent’s “Many Men” before the start of the fourth quarter. In an attempt to make a statement for its first CFP game at Owen Field, the Sooners brought the rapper himself out onto the field to perform the song for fans in a Hard to Kill Hoodie.
“I didn’t know it was live,” DeBoer said.
“I didn’t know who 50 Cent was,” Simpson said, “but I know that song.”
“We play that song at practice on Fridays,” Lawson said.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.
Hello college football fans, and welcome to The Athletic’s live coverage of the 2025 College Football Playoff!
Yes, after a 2025 season full of an incredible amount of twists, turns, controversy and pure chaos, the second edition of the 12-team College Football Playoff gets underway tonight. Our opening matchup is a battle of blue-bloods whose first meeting this season contributed to that chaos, as No. 9 Alabama takes on No. 8 Oklahoma in Norman.
Follow along for live pregame build-up and the latest news, play-by-play updates and real-time analysis from The Athletic’s college football staff!
The College Football Playoff gets underway Friday night as Alabama heads to Norman to take on Oklahoma. But to ESPN’s Michael Wilbon, there’s even more at stake for Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer.
DeBoer’s name has been the subject of rumors throughout the offseason in the coaching carousel. Most recently, he received questions about the opening at Michigan following Sherrone Moore’s firing for cause, though he made it clear he intends to be at Alabama in 2026.
However, Wilbon didn’t sound as convinced. He predicted Alabama would not only lose to Oklahoma on Friday night, but DeBoer would also be on a flight to Ann Arbor to take the Michigan job afterward.
“Let me tell you about … two schools that could be in the coaching carousel after [Friday night],” Wilbon said Thursday on Pardon The Interruption. “Because when Alabama loses to Oklahoma – let me say it again, when Alabama loses to Oklahoma – the coach of Alabama, half the people in the state will want to run him out. And he’ll be on the carousel – oh, wait, that’s a G5 being flown to Ann Arbor, Mich., where he has said, ‘Oh, no. I ain’t got no interest in that.’ He’ll have interest [Friday night].
“And then, Alabama will be in the coaching carousel because they’ll be looking for a coach. … The Alabama coach is going to have a job-on-the-line situation in 24 hours and then, headed to Michigan once he loses. And then, Alabama’s looking. Then, what are you going to say?”
During a press conference this week ahead of the College Football Playoff opener, Kalen DeBoer was directly asked if he intended to be Alabama’s head coach next season. He responded, “Yes.”
Earlier in that press conference, DeBoer received a question about the rumors surrounding him. He again spoke highly of his tenure at Alabama so far and made it clear he’s happy in Tuscaloosa.
“A lot of the same things I said before, a couple weeks ago, when asked really the same question, just feel completely supported,” DeBoer said. “My family loves living here. Just all the things that we continue to build on, love the progress. Haven’t talked with anyone, no plans of talking with anyone. So just, I think that’s a lot of what I said a couple weeks ago, and continues to be the same thing.
“Feel strong about it. And our guys, if there’s been any distraction, I haven’t seen it, haven’t felt it. I’m really proud of the way they’ve handled whatever noise is out there. And again, we probably all season long, have dealt with enough noise to where it wouldn’t surprise me on how they handle this.”
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