Auburn football has a lot going for them so far in the 2024-25 season, and it appears that they now have Nick Saban in their corner. Riding the wave of a 1-0 record, senior quarterback Payton Thorne is embracing the leadership role he finds himself in, and he has the offense looking sharp.

The Tigers are still absent from the latest AP top-25 rankings, but that could soon change. They stamped a 73-3 victory on the board against Alabama A&M in Week 1, and now face California on Saturday afternoon for another opportunity to amuse the ranking committee.

For now, though, it appears they are looking bright in the eyes of Saban.

“There’s going to be a lot of Alabama folks that don’t like what I’m going to say here, but I think Hugh Freeze is going to do an outstanding job at Auburn. I think they’re going to be one of the most improved teams in the SEC,” Saban stated. “D.J. Durkin is a great addition for them as a defensive coordinator.”

“So, I really think they’re going to make a huge impact, especially with the explosive players that they’ve added to their offense. They’re going to be somebody that everybody has to reckon with.”

Saban's words hold some weight, and it's not just because of how revered he is across the football landscape. Auburn's head coach, Hugh Freeze, was his former competitor when he was at Ole Miss, defeating him twice, most notably in a 43-37 shootout on Saban's home turf in 2015. So it's not too surprising to see him saluting the Tigers on national television.

Kirk Herbstreit also added kind words about Auburn football

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Kirk Herbstreit had more praise to offer during College GameDay on Saturday ahead of a huge slate of football in Week 2.

“I think people looked at Payton Thorne last year, coming over from Michigan State, and they were lukewarm on him,” Herbstreit added. “I’m with you, you put — the offense now, that’s going to be decided by what Hugh Freeze can do as a play caller. You know better than anybody, his abilities. He’s got a veteran quarterback in Payton Thorne, who can run just enough in that offense, you know, like a Bo Wallace type of guy, and then Cam Coleman, the true freshman, the group of receivers you’re talking about, they’ve got four guys.

“I think Auburn is a surprise team in the entire SEC, and I think Payton Thorne has a chance to have a big year this year.”