Auburn fans chant "Fire Hugh!" after loss to Kentucky

Saturday night’s 10–3 rock fight at Auburn was more than a battle of two struggling SEC teams. It was a meeting of two head coaches under immense pressure. Mark Stoops and Hugh Freeze were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 on a recent national list of coaches most likely to be fired.

By the time the game ended, Freeze took Stoops’ place in the hottest seat in the conference after suffering the painful loss in their head-to-head on Freeze’s home turf.

For Stoops, the win was ugly, but it was his kind of ugly. His defense dominated, his punter flipped the field, and his players hung on when things got tight. Afterward, Stoops fought back emotion in his on-field interview. He told Alyssa Lang, “You’re trying to get me to cry.”

Across the field, Freeze’s night ended with Auburn fans chanting “Fire Hugh!” as he walked out of Jordan-Hare Stadium, maybe for the last time. Freeze’s offense managed just three points, and the rotating quarterbacks only added to the frustration from an already frustrated fan base.

NEW: Auburn fans stayed after the loss to Kentucky to chant “Fire Hugh”😬

(via @mikegittens)https://t.co/IcDKL9mYOS pic.twitter.com/CdXUh92sV6

— On3 (@On3sports) November 2, 2025

The loss to Kentucky was the Tigers’ fifth loss in six games. Prior to last week’s win at Arkansas, Auburn had lost four straight SEC games to top-16 teams by an average of 7.25 points. At least Auburn scored more than a field goal in those games.

Fans booed Freeze home for the 10-3 loss to the Cats. There is an expectation that he won’t make it through the weekend.

A chorus of boos as Hugh Freeze walks off the field: pic.twitter.com/aJHsig1iOn

— Trevor Denton (@trevordenton37) November 2, 2025