Freeze vents after Arkansas defeat: ‘Difficult to take’

Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior WriterSep 23, 2024, 09:57 PM ET

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• College football reporter.
• Joined ESPN.com in 2008.
• Graduate of Northwestern University.Auburn coach Hugh Freeze made it

clear that the Tigers lost to a lower group when they fell 24-14 to Arkansas on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.Speaking Monday night on Tiger Talk with the Auburn Sports Network,

Freeze stated Auburn’s most current home loss, similar to the Sept. 7 defeat to Cal, was specifically discouraging since of the quality of the opposition.”I imply no offense whatsoever to Arkansas … I enjoy [coach]

Sam Pittman, I hope he wins the rest of his games, however I’m telling you, the difficult truth is if we play them nine more times, we beat them 9 times, “Freeze said Monday.” That’s what’s difficult to take, and it’s tough for our fans, I make sure, and it’s certainly difficult for us.”Freeze mentioned Auburn’s five turnovers in the loss, which limited the Tigers to 61 plays.

Auburn outgained Arkansas 431-334, but the Razorbacks ran 22 more plays and scored 10 points off of turnovers.The second-year Auburn coach had a comparable message earlier Monday at his press conference, stating

,”Certainly not reducing Arkansas, congratulations to Coach Pittman. … But definitely it was a game we seemed like was winnable. And when you do not come through and get that, it stinks.”Auburn also had five turnovers in its home loss to Cal. Freeze said Auburn’s offensive identity doesn’t need to alter, and stated it’s”sickening”that the team is averaging 8 yards per play however” not scoring the points that need to come with what those stats state. “He stated Auburn would examine quarterbacks Payton Thorne and Hank Brown throughout the week before choosing who begins versus Oklahoma. Freeze said Thorne, who changed Brown in the second half versus Arkansas,”looked actually sharp. “