“We’re Built for It”: Keldric Faulk Believes Auburn Can Contend for the College Football Playoff
Keldric Faulk isn’t just confident heading into the 2025 season—he’s convinced Auburn has everything it needs to make a legitimate run at the College Football Playoff. The Tigers’ star defensive lineman spoke with a calm certainty that’s hard to ignore: the talent, the culture, the coaching staff—it’s all aligned.
“Our confidence level is through the roof,” Faulk said. “We’re coming into the season with high hopes and a confidence that we can do anything in the world.”
That belief isn’t just talk. Faulk credits the transformation around the program to the unified vision of head coach Hugh Freeze. Now entering a pivotal year, Freeze has a roster filled with players he personally recruited—his first true Auburn team.
“He’s brought in his own staff, his own guys,” Faulk said. “We have everything we need to be playoff contenders. We just have to go do it.”
Beyond the field, Faulk has emerged as a vocal leader—something he takes seriously. Whether it’s mentoring his younger teammates, guiding his own little brother through the grind of college football, or giving back to walk-ons through NIL, Faulk believes leadership shows up in action.
“When people listen when I talk, it shows they have faith in me,” he said. “How I live, how I practice, how I prepare—that’s the example I want to set.”
It’s clear Auburn has grown. Faulk recalls the disbelief from outsiders when he first arrived on campus—Many didn’t think the Tigers would win more than four games. That narrative has flipped.
“The team is different now. We know each other. We bond,” he said. “When you play for your brothers, it hits different.”
As the season opener against Baylor looms, Faulk made it clear: location and predictions don’t matter.
“Doesn’t matter if it’s Waco or Tuscaloosa—we’re going to dominate whoever lines up in front of us.”
And while the national media may be slow to buy in, Faulk has his sights locked on a bigger prize. “We’re not shying away from talking about the playoff,” he said. “We have the talent and the staff to get there. It’s time to prove it.”
