Hugh Freeze’s uncertain comments early this week over the future of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry caused a stir over potential SEC schedule changes when the league expands with Texas and Oklahoma.

Here’s everything the Auburn head coach has said:

On Saturday, after Auburn’s 27-20 loss to No. 1 Georgia, Freeze was asked about if future SEC schedules and elimination of divisions will impact recruiting. He said it won’t, but did add a comment about playing Georgia beyond the 2024 season, where the two are slated to play in Athens.

“I think we’ll always have at least the Alabama rivalry,” Freeze said after the game. “I think we’ll miss this one if… depending on the numbers and all that. I’ll let John (Cohen) handle all of that.”

The comment didn’t make much noise then, but he made a similar remark while speaking at the Monday Morning Quarterback Club in Birmingham.

“I’m pretty confident that the SEC is pretty solid on where we are,” Freeze said. “I think they’ll enjoy the new rivalries when they get to see Texas and Oklahoma among the great rivalries that we already have in our conference. I’ll miss playing Georgia every year.”

A tweet with that quote from Birmingham garnered over 700,000 views on X, formerly known as Twitter. It led to Freeze taking questions to clarify his remarks at another event where Freeze spoke later that day in Mobile.

“Let’s really clarify that,” Freeze said Monday evening. “I have no clue what’s going on with future schedules and that hasn’t come to the coaches (for review) at all. What I totally meant by that was, there’s a lot of great rivalries in our conference and there’s new teams coming and I think it’s going to be an exciting brand of football for people to see Texas (and Oklahoma).

“But should there be years where you’re not playing some (traditional opponents) that would be, I’m sure, disappointing to some people in certain years. But I have no clue what the future scheduling is, nor has it been discussed with us as coaches. I know what next year’s (schedule) is, and that’s as far as I know. So I was using a hypothetical and certainly hope everybody clears that up.”

The SEC has released schedules for the 2024 season, but nothing beyond that. Conversations to build and vote on the future schedules have not begun.

On Wednesday, during his appearance on the SEC coaches teleconference, AL.com asked Freeze how much consideration he’s given to the future schedules.

“I give zero thought to it,” Freeze said. I know the SEC office and our AD and presidents will let us know when it’s time to have a conversation about those things. None of that has come to me at this point other than next year’s schedule being released. Who knows what’s going to happen two years from now? I said there’s a lot of great rivalries that our fans love and our players love. Certainly, there’s going to be great games added, but should the new scheduling ever miss a year of one of these great rivalries, that will be something that is obviously talked about. That doesn’t mean there isn’t going to be great games. Who knows, maybe all the rivalries will be protected. I haven’t heard any discussions about the future schedules other than the one we’ve been given for next year.”

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]