'It's sickening we haven't delivered': Freeze faces more job security questions after ugly SEC loss

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze faced another round of job security questions Saturday night after the Tigers stumbled through another ugly SEC loss — the latest chapter in a frustrating season that has tested, maybe broken, the patience of the fanbase and the confidence of the program.

Auburn lost to Kentucky 10-3 on Saturday night. The Wildcats entered the game winless in the SEC. The Tigers were a double-digit favorite.

What was once hoped to be a year of progress under Freeze has turned into a cycle of offensive struggles, missed opportunities and mounting questions about the direction of the program. Auburn has now dropped its fifth SEC game, marking yet another year of disappointment in conference play.

For the fifth straight season, Auburn will have a losing SEC record. That’s every season under Bryan Harsin and Freeze.

Freeze didn’t deflect the criticism when asked postgame. He spoke candidly after the loss, taking responsibility and expressing frustration that the product hasn’t matched the effort. But he’s said similar things after earlier losses this season, so the words might be falling on deaf ears at this point.

“Like I’ve said all year long, my job is to get this team ready to win games,” Freeze said. “We have failed to do that this year and it’s frustrating. I still believe we’re really close and I know that team plays hard for this university. It’s sickening that we haven’t delivered. No one wants to do that more than I. Our family loves it, our staff loves it, but at the end of the day, I’m frustrated, too.”

Auburn fans have continued to fill Jordan-Hare Stadium, investing in NIL efforts and rallying behind the program, but patience is long gone.

“I wish I could ask for patience, but that’s not something that people want to give in this day and time,” Freeze said in direct response to the growing noise. “I know we’re so dang close and if we had a few things go our way earlier in the year, we’re looking at a whole different deal, but it didn’t. That’s life and the game of football. It teaches us a lot of great things and a lot of tough things.”

Freeze said his focus remains on finishing the season strong and proving progress is still possible.

“We’ll get up and go to work and get ready for the next one,” he said. “I’d love for their patience, but I understand you’re probably not getting patience from them because they want to see a better product on the field — and so do I.”

If a coaching change is made by season’s end, Freeze will be owed $15.4 million.