Hugh Freeze and his group of Auburn men are preparing to quietly take the 2024 season by the horns down on the Plains of Auburn. Outside of Auburn, few preseason talking heads give the Tigers much of a fighting chance in the upcoming season to do much. Yet, Coach Freeze and his staff continue to do what they have done so many times, dating back to the years in the high school ranks at Briarcrest Christian School; they’re using the lack of respect as motivation for a breakout season in 2024.

With a favorable schedule, Auburn has the potential to be a game-changer. Under Hugh Freeze’s leadership, the Tigers could defy expectations and secure at least eight to nine wins. A few well-timed upsets could see them disrupt Georgia and Alabama’s plans. Like the 2013 season, Auburn enters 2024 unranked and overlooked but with the potential to surprise. This potential for surprise should keep fans and analysts engaged and intrigued throughout the season.

Auburn will open the 2024 season with five straight home games against Alabama A&M, California, New Mexico, Arkansas, and Oklahoma before hitting the road for three games against Georgia, Missouri, and Kentucky. There’s a real possibility that Auburn could be 5-0 as they make their way to Athens for a showdown with the Georgia Bulldogs; from there, a 6-1 record is within the realm as they head to Lexington to take on Kentucky in late October. Auburn goes 2-1 during that road swing, with the lone loss coming to Georgia; the conversation shifts to Auburn being a dark horse to reach the expanded College Football Playoff. After the road swing, Auburn returns home for three games against Vanderbilt, ULM, and Texas A&M before closing the season in the Iron Bowl at Alabama. For the Auburn fans with hope, there’s a legitimate road to ten wins, with a potential bid to the College Football Playoffs.

From a talent standpoint, many things have to happen for Auburn to be in that position, but if a coach can get the most out of their team with few expectations from the national media, it’s Hugh Freeze. Coach Freeze has won everywhere he’s been, from Briarcrest to Arkansas State, Ole Miss, and now at Auburn.

From a talent perspective, the most significant question mark coming into the 2024 season is what the offense will look like under new Offensive Coordinator Derrick Nix. Last season, Auburn ranked 90th in total offense, with the lone bright spot coming from Jarquez Hunter, who has 2,170 career rushing yards with 17 touchdowns. Payton Thorne will take over as the starting quarterback in 2024 behind the protection of an improved offensive line. The brightest spot for the Auburn offensive unit is at the tight end position, with Rivaldo Fairweather leading the charge. Many around college football hold Fairweather to the highest of honors as one of the best tight ends in the country.

On the defensive side of the ball, the message will be simple: finish. Auburn was so close to beating Ole Miss, Georgia, and Alabama last season, losing all three by single digits for the 2024 Auburn defense, finishing the job, and overcoming the mountain to deliver Auburn to more victories this fall. Names to keep an eye out for this fall for the Auburn defensive unit: Keldric Faulk, who finished 2023 an SEC all-freshman with 36 tackles; Jalen McLeod, Austin Keys, Eugene Asante, Keionte Scott, and Oscar Chapman.

There’s a lot of upside potential for the 2024 Auburn Tigers Football team; it’s all right in front of them for the taking. For a successful season in year two of the Hugh Freeze era, taking advantage of five straight home games to open the season is crucial for the Tigers to make some noise in 2024. You never know what kind of magic can happen with Auburn Football. Something about when the Tigers play at Jordan Hare makes the 2024 season so interesting from a dark horse perspective.