AUBURN, AL — In a year that will go down in sports lore as one of the greatest all-around achievements in college athletics, the Auburn Tigers have been crowned the top athletic program in the nation for 2025. With jaw-dropping success across multiple major sports—football, men’s basketball, and baseball—Auburn did the unthinkable: they became the only school in the country to win a national title, make the Final Four in men’s basketball, reach the Men’s College World Series, advance through a baseball regional, and play in a bowl game—all in the same academic year.
This is not just a banner year for Auburn University—it’s a moment of sports history. It’s the type of domination programs dream of, and fans talk about for generations.
It’s rare for a school to have concurrent national contention in more than one sport. It’s even more rare to do so across three major men’s programs. But Auburn didn’t just participate—they excelled, made history, and in the process, captured the imagination of fans nationwide.
What started as a promising fall on the gridiron became a roaring crescendo in spring, ending with the Auburn Tigers baseball team storming to a College World Series championship and lifting the trophy under the lights of Charles Schwab Field in Omaha.
But this championship was more than just a victory for baseball—it was the exclamation mark on a record-breaking, precedent-shattering, all-sport season.
The 2024 Auburn football team, under the guidance of second-year head coach Hugh Freeze, returned the Tigers to national relevance with a 10–3 record and a thrilling victory in the Citrus Bowl over Wisconsin. This bowl win marked Auburn’s first postseason victory since 2018, giving the program a jolt of energy and optimism.
Quarterback Hank Brown, in his breakout sophomore season, led an explosive offense that ranked among the SEC’s best, while the defense, anchored by linebacker Eugene Asante and freshman phenom D’Angelo Barber, stood tall against top-tier competition.
The bowl win set the tone: Auburn was back.
Fast-forward to March, and Auburn was again making headlines—this time on the hardwood.
Bruce Pearl’s Tigers marched into the Final Four of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, riding a wave of intensity, smart play, and lockdown defense. Their journey included hard-fought wins over traditional powerhouses like Kansas and Duke. In the Elite Eight, Auburn outlasted Michigan State in a 70–64 classic, highlighted by Johni Broome’s unforgettable return from injury to hit a game-clinching three-pointer.
Although they fell just short in the national semifinal against UConn, the 2025 team cemented itself as one of the finest in school history. It was Auburn’s second Final Four appearance under Pearl, and it further proved the program’s elite status on the national stage.
Then came spring. Then came baseball.
The Tigers’ baseball team, led by head coach Butch Thompson, entered the season with high expectations, but few could have predicted just how dominant they would become. After winning the SEC regular season and making a deep run in the conference tournament, Auburn hosted a regional at Plainsman Park.
They cruised through the regional and Super Regional, defeating Oregon State in two decisive games. In the Men’s College World Series, Auburn beat LSU, Florida State, and then Texas in a championship game for the ages—capping a Cinderella run with a 13–0 victory that stunned the nation.
Outfielder Cooper Weiss was named Most Outstanding Player, while freshman pitcher Chase Herring threw seven shutout innings in the final, adding another legendary chapter to Auburn baseball lore.
Let’s break down what no other program in America managed to do this year:
Win a national title (Baseball) Reach the Final Four (Men’s Basketball)⚾ Reach the Men’s College World Series (Baseball)⚾ Win a Baseball Regional (Baseball) Play—and win—a bowl game (Football)
Several schools came close. LSU had baseball and football success, but fell short in basketball. UConn made another deep basketball run but missed the postseason in other sports. Alabama had a strong year in football and basketball but didn’t sniff Omaha. Auburn? They did it all. And they won.
This isn’t just school pride. It’s sports dominance on a national scale.
So how did Auburn pull this off?
At the heart of Auburn’s 2025 renaissance is a deep-rooted culture of athletic excellence and institutional support. From Athletic Director John Cohen to the university’s administration, there’s been a unified vision: compete at the highest level in everything.
Each program has found a leader uniquely suited to Auburn:
Hugh Freeze reestablished a winning culture in football.Bruce Pearl continues to be one of the game’s most dynamic and inspiring basketball minds.Butch Thompson has built a baseball powerhouse capable of consistent postseason success.
But perhaps even more important has been Auburn’s ability to retain and develop talent. Rather than relying solely on the transfer portal or one-and-done recruits, Auburn has built around continuity, chemistry, and high-character athletes. The 2025 teams had seasoned leaders who bought into the culture and underclassmen who rose to the moment.
For Auburn fans, this year was the culmination of patience, pride, and relentless support. Jordan-Hare roared in the fall, Neville Arena erupted in March, and Plainsman Park shook in June. Everywhere you looked, Auburn was not just participating—they were excelling.
It’s not every year a school can claim to have three top-10 programs in the same year. It’s never happened before that one school met all these accomplishments in a single season. Auburn didn’t just compete—they dominated across the board.
Athletic Director John Cohen, on the historic year:“This is what you dream about when you talk about building a comprehensive athletic department. We didn’t just win in one spor—we competed and won in every sport that matters to our fans, our alumni, and our community. This is a year that Auburn Nation will never forget.”
Baseball head coach Butch Thompson added:“There’s something special about Auburn. It’s not just about talent—it’s about heart, fight, and believing in something bigger. These young men earned it, and they made history doing it.
The bar has now been raised. Expectations for the 2025–26 academic year are sky-high, and with strong recruiting classes in all three major sports and improved facilities on the way, Auburn is poised to build on this unprecedented momentum.
Auburn isn’t just enjoying a hot streak—it may be in the early stages of a new dynasty era in collegiate sports
What Auburn achieved in 2025 is not only unprecedented—it’s historic. For one school to win a national title, reach the Final Four, make the Men’s College World Series, win a regional, and win a bowl game in the same academic year isn’t just dominance—it’s a once-in-a-century convergence of preparation, passion, and perfection.
For fans on the Plains and around the nation, one thing is clear: Auburn isn’t chasing greatness anymore. They are the standard.
So whether it’s the beat of the marching band on fall Saturdays, the roar from Neville Arena in the winter, or the crack of the bat in spring, one chant rings louder than ever in 2025:
