According to the 2025 SEC power rankings, Auburn football is ranked higher than Alabama, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.

In college football, rankings and predictions are a topic that fans, analysts, and experts love to debate. Every season, teams jockey for position, hoping to earn the respect they feel they deserve. The Southeastern Conference (SEC), long considered the most competitive and dominant conference in college football, is home to some of the sport’s most storied programs. Year after year, teams like Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and others have traditionally occupied the upper echelons of the SEC power rankings. However, the 2025 SEC power rankings show an interesting and perhaps unexpected shift — Auburn football is ranked higher than traditional heavyweights like Alabama, Ole Miss, and Tennessee. This dramatic rise is a reflection of several key factors, from strong recruitment and coaching hires to strategic development of talent and an evolving program culture.

This article explores why Auburn football has ascended to the upper tier of the SEC in 2025, analyzing the program’s growth and evaluating why they are ranked higher than Alabama, Ole Miss, and Tennessee — three programs that, historically, have been considered more consistent contenders in the SEC.

1. The Impact of Hugh Freeze: A Coach Who Brings Immediate Results

When Hugh Freeze was hired as Auburn’s head coach in 2023, the hire was met with a mixture of skepticism and excitement. Freeze had previously had success at Ole Miss and Liberty, building high-powered offenses and making waves in the SEC before his departure from Ole Miss. At Auburn, Freeze’s challenge was to restore the program to its former glory, which had seen success in the mid-2000s under Tommy Tuberville and more recently under Gus Malzahn.

Fast-forward to 2025, and the results of Freeze’s leadership have been clear. Under Freeze, Auburn has demonstrated significant improvement both in terms of on-field performance and recruiting. He has infused the program with an energy and confidence that has made the Tigers a real contender in the SEC West, a division notoriously difficult to navigate. His experience in the SEC, particularly with Ole Miss, allowed him to immediately understand the landscape of the conference and begin tailoring Auburn’s strategy to compete with the best.

In 2025, Freeze’s offensive prowess has revitalized Auburn’s attack, making the Tigers a potent offensive team capable of competing with high-scoring rivals. The hiring of Freeze has not only helped Auburn gain momentum but also changed the program’s overall trajectory, propelling the Tigers above traditionally dominant programs like Alabama, Ole Miss, and Tennessee in the rankings.

2. Auburn’s Talent Pipeline: Recruiting with a Purpose

Recruiting is a key factor in every college football program’s success. In the SEC, where the competition is fierce, recruiting often separates the best teams from the rest. In 2025, Auburn’s recruiting efforts have seen a significant uptick under Freeze’s guidance. His ability to attract top-tier talent has been critical in elevating the Tigers to a higher position in the SEC power rankings.

Under Freeze, Auburn has shown a renewed focus on not only recruiting elite players but also identifying and developing players who fit his system. The Tigers have succeeded in landing highly rated prospects, especially at the quarterback position, where Freeze’s ability to develop and elevate the play of his quarterbacks has been a key asset. As a result, Auburn’s roster is filled with talent that is poised to compete at the highest level.

Auburn has been especially effective in bringing in key players from the state of Alabama, as well as from neighboring states like Georgia and Florida. This in-state recruiting success, combined with Freeze’s national recruiting reach, has allowed Auburn to build a well-rounded roster that features not only elite offensive playmakers but also a strong defensive unit. The ability to recruit at a high level has positioned Auburn ahead of programs like Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Alabama in the 2025 rankings, as the Tigers are seen as having a more complete roster capable of making deep runs in the SEC and nationally.

3. Quarterback Play: A Key Factor in Auburn’s Success

Quarterback play is often the most discussed aspect of any college football team’s success, and Auburn has found stability and playmaking ability at the most important position on the field. After struggling with inconsistency at quarterback in previous seasons, Auburn appears to have found its answer in 2025, and this has been a major reason for the team’s rise in the rankings.

Under Hugh Freeze, Auburn has a quarterback who can not only manage the offense but also make explosive plays when needed. Freeze’s history of developing quarterbacks, such as his work with Chad Kelly at Ole Miss, has translated to success at Auburn. Whether it’s a transfer quarterback or a highly touted recruit, Freeze has found a signal-caller who can lead the Tigers to victory in the SEC.

This stability at the quarterback position has allowed Auburn to operate with more efficiency and confidence. In contrast, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Tennessee, while still strong programs, have had periods of uncertainty at quarterback. Alabama’s search for a true successor to Bryce Young, Ole Miss’ inconsistency in its quarterback play, and Tennessee’s need for improvement at the position have prevented these teams from fully capitalizing on their potential in the 2025 season. Meanwhile, Auburn’s confident and dynamic quarterback play has propelled the Tigers to the top of the SEC power rankings.

4. Defensive Improvements: Auburn’s Resurgence on Defense

While Auburn has been known for its offensive prowess under Freeze, the Tigers’ defensive play in 2025 has also been a crucial factor in their rise. Under Freeze, the Tigers have made significant improvements on the defensive side of the ball, a unit that has historically been a strength of the program. In 2025, Auburn’s defense has stepped up to match its offensive improvements, making the Tigers a complete team that can compete with any program in the SEC.

Auburn’s defense has been retooled through strong recruiting efforts and excellent development. The Tigers have added key players on the defensive line and in the secondary, helping to fortify a unit that can now go toe-to-toe with the best offenses in the conference. Freeze’s ability to balance offensive fireworks with a tough, physical defense has made Auburn a difficult team to beat. This all-around capability has allowed Auburn to surpass teams like Ole Miss and Tennessee, who may have stronger offensive units but lack the same defensive consistency.

Additionally, Auburn has been excellent in key situational areas, such as third downs and red-zone defense. These improvements have helped the Tigers control games, limiting opposing teams’ scoring opportunities while making the most of their own.

5. Alabama’s Decline in Recent Seasons

While Auburn has risen, Alabama has experienced a slight decline in recent years. This is not to say that Alabama is no longer a dominant force — far from it. However, the Crimson Tide have faced some challenges that have allowed Auburn to gain ground in the 2025 rankings.

Alabama’s quest for a new quarterback to replace Bryce Young has been ongoing, with no clear starter emerging in the 2025 season. While Alabama still boasts one of the most talented rosters in the country, the lack of consistency at the quarterback position has hindered their ability to dominate as they once did. Additionally, Alabama’s defensive unit has faced challenges in 2025, particularly against high-powered offenses, which has given teams like Auburn an opportunity to surpass them.

Nick Saban’s coaching prowess remains a significant asset to Alabama, but the Crimson Tide have not been able to match the same level of excellence across all phases of the game as they once did. Auburn, under Hugh Freeze, has used this gap to assert itself as a more complete team, capable of challenging Alabama for supremacy in the SEC West.

6. Ole Miss and Tennessee: Strong, But Not Quite There

Both Ole Miss and Tennessee have made strides in recent years, with Ole Miss rising under Lane Kiffin’s leadership and Tennessee improving under Josh Heupel. However, despite their improvements, these programs are still facing challenges that prevent them from consistently competing at the same level as Auburn in 2025.

Ole Miss, while explosive offensively, has struggled with consistency, particularly on defense. The Rebels’ inability to stop opposing offenses from scoring has limited their ability to win high-stakes SEC matchups. Tennessee, meanwhile, has seen strong performances from quarterback Hendon Hooker and a potent offense, but questions persist regarding the Volunteers’ ability to compete on defense against the elite teams in the SEC.

In comparison, Auburn has been able to strike a balance between offense and defense, positioning itself as a more well-rounded team capable of going toe-to-toe with the best in the SEC. This overall balance has pushed Auburn ahead of both Ole Miss and Tennessee in the 2025 power rankings.