Ain’t it funny how fast the hype train derails? One minute, Auburn fans are talking about Hugh Freeze like he’s the second coming of Gus Malzahn, and the next, they’re staring at another losing season like, “Maybe we should’ve swiped left.” Oklahoma ain’t much better. Brent Venables had folks believing in 2023, only to have ’em questioning life choices in 2024. Now, SEC insiders are out here saying Freeze and Venables are two sides of the same shaky coin. And if you listen to the February 11 episode of That SEC Football Podcast, their fate ain’t looking too pretty.

On the podcast, SEC Mike and Steven Lassen laid it out. “If they don’t get it done next year… big year, big year, year three, excuses are running thin,” Mike said. And then? He absolutely cooked Hugh Freeze for the whole Peyton Thorne saga. Auburn was gassing up their QB all offseason, and then when things went south, it was suddenly Thorne’s fault? “You can’t have it both ways if you’re Hugh Freeze,” Mike said. Facts. Well, Thorne did put up 2,713 yards, 21 TDs, and 9 picks — but Auburn was never that team this year.

SEC Mike ain’t afraid to call it how he sees it. “I’ve got Hugh Freeze at number 11. Venables at 12,” he said on the podcast, before throwing a little salt on the wound. “I have them in the same tier because I’m a little concerned,” and he ain’t wrong. Freeze got Auburn fans talking about how he “beat Saban twice,” like that pays the bills. Meanwhile, Venables might be a killer recruiter, but can he actually coach a team past its ceiling?

And then SEC Mike threw the knockout punch: “Hugh Freeze looks pretty good… but that includes an Arkansas State year, a bunch of Liberty years, where, again, his team won 10 games a year.” Translation? Stat-padding. Freeze might’ve racked up wins at the mid-major level, but this ain’t Liberty and Venables’ success at Clemson doesn’t mean squat when he’s running the show solo for the 2025 season.

Hugh Freeze and Brent Venables 2025 season showdown

Now the wildest part? These two teams are set to face off in Week 4 next season. Auburn at Oklahoma, September 20th. This ain’t just another game — it’s a narrative war. If Freeze loses, Auburn fans are gonna start whispering about the next coach. If Venables drops it? Oh, you already know those Oklahoma boosters are gonna start making some phone calls.

Both teams hit the transfer portal heavily to fix their mess. Auburn snagged Jackson Arnold from Oklahoma (yup, that’s spicy) and grabbed Eric Singleton Jr., one of the best WRs available. Singleton put up 1,468 yards and 9 TDs at Georgia Tech. Oklahoma? They countered with John Mateer, who led FBS in total touchdowns (44) at Washington State. On paper, both squads are stacking up. But, uh… so were their 2024 teams, and we saw how that turned out.

Now, looking ahead to Week 4, SEC Mike broke it down. “Oklahoma’s got Illinois State, Michigan at home, and at Temple before hosting Auburn. Auburn’s got at Baylor, Ball State, and South Alabama.” Then he asked the big question: Who’s more likely to be undefeated heading into that game? Steven Lassen leaned Auburn. “Oklahoma-Michigan is winnable, but I think Michigan’s just better than Baylor,” he said. Fair, but let’s be real — this could just be setting up another Auburn heartbreak.

And that’s where things get funny. This exact scenario happened in 2024. People thought Auburn was gonna cruise into that Week 4 matchup undefeated, then boom — they were 2-2 before they even touched the field against Oklahoma. SEC Mike pulled receipts: “It’s just wild all these theories and storylines we come up with, and then it’s even more chaotic than you could ever imagine with old Hugh Freeze.” He ain’t wrong. Freeze is a walking storyline. One second, he’s an SEC giant killer. The next? He’s getting cooked by Mississippi State.

So here’s the real question: Is 2025 the make-or-break year for these two? Or are we just delaying the inevitable? Right now, both programs are clinging to recruiting rankings and transfer portal hype, but what happens when the season starts? The SEC doesn’t care about your five-star QB if you can’t block. It doesn’t care about your flashy WRs if your defense can’t stop a nosebleed. Venables and Freeze got one shot to flip the script before the wolves came out. Otherwise?

Well… let’s just say the buyout calculators might start working overtime.