In a make-or-break season for Auburn coach Hugh Freeze, the Tigers 2025 schedule will test how resilient this group actually is.

Auburn football’s roster construction is headlined by back-to-back top 10 recruiting classes and the No. 1 transfer portal class in the offseason.

Failure to reach the College Football Playoffs or even a bowl game could see the end of the Freeze era. In their way, 12 regular season opponents with seven being SEC teams.

Here’s a complete ranking of every Auburn’s opponent on the 2025 schedule, from easiest to hardest.

12 Ball State (Sept. 6)

This will be Auburn’s home opener inside Jordan-Hare stadium with a 6:30 p.m. kickoff. If the Tigers lose this game, safe to say the season is over.

11 South Alabama (Sept. 13)

The same rules apply as the Ball State game. An Auburn loss means sayonara season.

10 Mercer (Nov. 22)

The punching bag before the Iron Bowl is a great way to put this matchup.

9 Kentucky (Nov. 11)

Last season Auburn’s first conference victory came at Lexington against Kentucky. After trailing 10-0, the Tigers scored 24 unanswered points behind a career outing from running back Jarquez Hunter. Now hosting the Wildcats, the Tigers have all the tools to compete against Mark Stoops group.

8 Missouri (Oct. 18)

Fourth quarter collapses were huge in a lot of Auburn’s losses in 2024. The Tigers gave up a 17-6 lead and dropped its fourth conference game in Columbia a year ago. Missouri returns 71% of their production from last year and added the No. 7 transfer portal class over the offseason.

7 at Arkansas (Oct. 25)

Going to Fayetteville, Arkansas for a college football game is never an easy environment. Auburn should enter this with a chip on its shoulder especially after the Razorbacks 10-point victory at Auburn last season.

6 at Oklahoma (Sept. 20)

The Jackson Arnold revenge game. The script could not have been written more perfectly for a player looking to get back on the program who wrote him off a season ago. With star transfer additions like Jaydn Ott and John Mateer, the Sooners will be tough team to face on the road for any team.

5 at Baylor (Aug. 29)

With this being the season opener for the Tigers, it’s hard to tell how efficient the group will look coming out. Announced as a Friday night kickoff and a nationally televised time slot on Fox, this will be one of the biggest games all season for the Tigers.

4 at Texas A&M (Sept. 27)

Last season these two programs put on a cinematic classic that ended in a four-overtime victory for Auburn at home. A trip to College Station, is going to be a lot different and will take precise execution from the Tigers.

3 at Vanderbilt (Nov. 8)

To some this may be high considering some of the other conference opponents the Tigers face. However, Commodore’s quarterback Diego Pavia was granted one more year of college eligibility. Since his time at New Mexico State, Pavia has been a thorn in the side of Auburn. One more game to haunt Freeze and Auburn fans around the world will definitely be on Pavia’s goals list this season.

2 Georgia (Oct. 11)

The reigning SEC champions comeback to Jordan-Hare stadium, after barely escaping in its the last game at Auburn in 2023. Georgia lost 13 players to the NFL draft picks. However, they hit the transfer portal pretty hard just like Auburn. Wide receiver additions of Noah Thomas and Zachariah Branch give the Bulldogs one of the most elusive offenses in the entire SEC. To compete with Georgia, Auburn is going to have to be elite on both sides of the ball.

1 Alabama (Nov. 29)

No matter how you layout the schedule for Auburn, the Iron Bowl will always be the hardest game of the season. From the rivalry’s history, moments and state bragging rights. The dramatics of this matchup is deeper than football. Knowing how the last Iron Bowl ended at Jordan-Hare stadium, this year’s matchup will be one for the books.

Jerry Humphrey III covers Auburn sports forAL.com. You can follow him on X at @Jerryhump3or email him at [email protected].