He chestnut tigers They are 3-6 with one win in conference play and two of their last three matchups will be against ranked opponents.

Needless to say, Auburn’s chances of qualifying for the postseason couldn’t get much slimmer, although the chances are still not zero.

One of the main reasons for Auburn’s struggles this season, particularly early on, has been inconsistent quarterback play. Payton Thorne was benched after throwing four interceptions against Cal, but regained the starting job after Hank Brown struggled against Arkansas.

In its final three games, perhaps Auburn could give Brown and other young quarterbacks like Holden Geriner and Walker White opportunities to come under center.

“Payton (Thorne) has played pretty solid, but at the same time you start to think about the bigger picture,” Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze said. “That’s a tough dilemma for you as a coach, when you start thinking about the bigger picture. One of your players who hasn’t really done anything wrong but we certainly aren’t winning. We will continue next week to discuss that.”

Thorne, a fifth-year senior who played the first three seasons of his college career at Michigan State, appears to have taken a step back in his second year in the program. While there hasn’t been a significant statistical drop for Thorne, the offense isn’t performing better despite having more talent around him, particularly a revamped wide receiver group.

Brown, a redshirt freshman who earned the No. 2 roster spot before the season, looked good against New Mexico, but threw three interceptions in the first half against Arkansas to end his two-week career as Auburn’s starting quarterback.

Giving Brown another opportunity to lead the offense could pay dividends down the road, as having more game experience would be beneficial if he were to land the starting job next season.

Geriner has appeared in eight games since joining the program as a freshman in 2022. White has yet to make his collegiate debut.

Freeze and company have options. Playing each quarterback has its own pros and cons. Allowing quarterbacks who will compete with incoming rookie Deuce Knight and a potential transfer to gain experience could pay off down the road, but could it lead to another avoidable loss? Does that even matter for the Tigers right now?

Freeze has something to think about.