The NIL era has rewritten the college football game. And not everyone’s thriving in this new reality. Just ask former Alabama legend Nick Saban , who walked away partly because of it. Then, before the 2025 season even kicked off, Tennessee lost its starting QB over an NIL dispute. Chaos? Maybe. But like everything, it’s a game of trade-offs. NIL deals have given smaller programs a fighting chance, reeling in four and five-star talents once reserved for the powerhouses. Now, the talent is spreading out, and competition is heating up even for aspiring players. And amid all of this, Hugh Freeze and the staff at Auburn is planning a bold move.

Auburn kicked off its 2025 season at McLane Stadium against Baylor. Next year, Baylor should have come to the Plains to wrap up the home-and-home s

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