Auburn fires Hugh Freeze as college football buyouts balloon to $182...

Auburn University has fired head football coach Hugh Freeze following a 21-17 home loss to Kentucky, which left the team with a 4-5 overall record and 1-5 in SEC play. Freeze, 56, will receive a $15.8 million buyout, as his contract does not include offset provisions for future employment. His firing adds to a season trend of costly coach dismissals in college football, with total buyouts for 11 FBS coaches reaching $182 million. Auburn has appointed defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin as interim head coach. Freeze's tenure at Auburn began in 2023 and included a record of 15-19, with a 6-16 mark in conference games. The team's recent struggles against ranked opponents contributed to the decision, despite an initial 3-0 start to the season. Other notable coach firings this season include Brian Kelly at LSU, James Franklin at Penn State, and Billy Napier at Florida, all of