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Freeze: Auburn's in-state games 'good for football'

by: Caleb Jones5 hours agoCalebJ_Rivals
Hugh Freeze (Photo by Auburn Athletics)
Hugh Freeze (Photo by Auburn Athletics)

Auburn hosts South Alabama for the first time on a football field Saturday, but it’s no stranger to playing an in-state school as part of the non-conference schedule.

In nine of the last 11 seasons (excluding 2020), an in-state school played against Auburn as part of its non-conference schedule.

“I think it’s good for the state and good for football,” said Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze.

Freeze familiar with ‘other side’

Freeze knows what it’s like to be in South Alabama’s position — playing a larger in-state school as an underdog. While the head coach at Liberty, Freeze coached against both Virginia and Virginia Tech.

He went 1-2 in three games against those schools, with the win an upset on the road over Virginia Tech in 2020.

“As a coach, you get a little uptight — because I’ve been on the other side, coaching a G-5 team,” Freeze said. “Whether that’s Liberty at Virginia Tech, those types of games. You get excited for those. South Alabama is a very quality football team from the G-5 that can scare the heck out of you. I still think it’s the right thing to do for our state and for the game of football.”

Auburn’s history

This will be the third consecutive season Auburn’s faced an in-state opponent as part of its non-conference schedule. Since 2011, Auburn’s played 11 games against in-state opponents, excluding the Iron Bowl each year.

Auburn’s played Samford four times (2011, 2014, 2019, 2023), Alabama A&M three times (2012, 2016, 2024), Alabama State twice (2018, 2021), Jacksonville State (2015) in that span.

South Alabama is one of three current Division I programs Auburn is yet to face. Troy and North Alabama make up the other two.

Future plans

In upcoming years, even as the SEC moves to a nine-game conference schedule, Auburn is set to continue the trend of playing one in-state program as part of it’s non-conference slate.

Jacksonville State is set to play Auburn next season on Sept. 26, 2026. North Alabama, which joined the FCS in 2018, will travel to Auburn Sept. 9, 2028, for its first meeting with the Tigers.

It won’t be long before Auburn clashes with South Alabama for the first time, with kickoff set for 11:45 a.m. CST Saturday.

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