Auburn's Hugh Freeze is an offensive-oriented head coach, but because of that, he certainly knows great defense when he sees it and game plans against it, and he puts the Oklahoma defense this season in that exalted category.
Auburn will make its first trip to Norman, Oklahoma, this weekend to face 11th-ranked Oklahoma in the SEC conference opener for both teams.
Freeze admittedly scared of Sooners' defense
What just a few years ago was an outright liability for Oklahoma football has been rebuilt and reengineered into what is now the strength of the team, and it couldn't come at a better time with the Sooners now in their second season in the SEC, a league that for years has been dominated by big, physical defensive lines and outstanding all-around defense.
As a guest on the "Dari Nowkhah Show" on The Ref on Wednesday, Freeze was asked his impressions of this year's Oklahoma defense.
"First, I need some Pepto or some Tums," Freeze said. "Your stomach starts turnin', because, their first three games, they've dominated, I mean really dominated and allowed one touchdown, and it was really on a bust (a 75-yard touchdown run by Michigan's Justice Haynes).
"They're physical. They're fast. They do a lot of things that present you issues in both protection and run game. And (head coach) Brent (Venables) does a great job, and he's got great players. It's a great challenge. I do think they're one of the better defenses I've seen the last few years."
Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze was asked for this thoughts on the OU defense. Has extremely high praise.
— The REF (@KREFsports) September 17, 2025
Freeze told the Dari Nowkhah Show:
“First I need some Pepto and some Tums, because your stomach starts turning.” pic.twitter.com/llBAfDAEsO
It's possible the OU defense could be the deciding factor in the game on Saturday. To Auburn's credit, though, it has a guy at quarterback in former Sooner Jackson Arnold who has some familiarity with the Sooner defense, having gone against it in practice the past couple of years. The problem is, that goes both ways. The Oklahoma defense also has familiarity with its former teammate.
In any event, it should be an interesting chess match on Saturday between Freeze and his new starting quarterback, and Venables' much improved Oklahoma defense -- oh, and also a Sooner offense that has shown thus far that it is not to be taken lightly, either.
Read more about OU football