Oct 18, 2025; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Hugh Freeze reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Missouri Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images

The Auburn Tigers have fired head coach Hugh Freeze, making the move Sunday after their embarrassing 10-3 loss to the Kentucky Wildcats. They fell to 4-5 on the season and 15-19 during Freeze's time on the Plains.

He was never able to get the offense going as they had an ineffective offense all three seasons and were led by the defense, despite having several talented skill players and his past success calling plays. While it was clear that they needed to make a change, the Tigers are once again on the hook for an expensive buyout, even if it is smaller than what some programs are paying.

According to Nathan King of 247Sports, Auburn owes him a buyout worth approximately $15.7 million, which is 75% of the remaining value of his contract. He signed a six-year deal when he was hired ahead of the 2022 season. They are able to pay him in monthly installments, and there is no offset language in the contract. That means that if he were to get a coaching job elsewhere, they would still owe him the full amount.

Freeze was set to make $6.74 this season, making him the third-lowest-paid head coach in the SEC. His buyout would have fallen to $15.4 million if the Tigers had fired him after Dec. 1, according to the USA TODAY Sports coaching salary database.

It is just the latest buyout that Auburn has been forced to pay a fired football coach. They owed Gus Malzahn approximately $21.5 million when they fired him in 2020, and Bryan Harsin $15.3 million when they fired him in 2022 before hiring Freeze.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: What is Hugh Frezze's buyout with Auburn?

Reporting by JD McCarthy, College Sports Wire / College Sports Wire

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