Auburn’s nonconference gauntlet continued last Saturday, and once again, the Tigers ran into a buzzsaw. This time, it was Purdue-then ranked No. 6-who handed Auburn a humbling 88-60 loss at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis as part of the Indy Classic. The Boilermakers looked every bit the national contender they’re expected to be, and the convincing win helped them climb to No. 5 in this week’s USA TODAY Coaches Poll.
For Auburn, the loss came with immediate consequences. After holding the No. 24 spot heading into the weekend, the Tigers were bounced from the top 25 altogether. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but not entirely unexpected given the margin of defeat and the crowded nature of the rankings.
Still, Auburn’s 8-4 record tells a deeper story-one that head coach Steven Pearl isn’t shying away from. All four of the Tigers’ losses have come against top-10 teams: No.
1 Michigan, No. 2 Arizona, No.
5 Purdue, and No. 9 Houston.
That’s about as brutal a nonconference schedule as you’ll find, and Pearl sees value in those battles.
“We’re battle-tested,” Pearl said after the loss to Purdue. “I think we have a top-25 résumé based on what we’ve already done. As long as we continue to get better like we did last week, we’ll be fine.”
And he might have a point. Auburn’s losses haven’t come from slipping against mid-majors or underperforming against unranked teams-they’ve come at the hands of some of the most dominant programs in the country. That kind of experience, while painful now, could pay dividends once SEC play begins.
Meanwhile, Purdue’s win adds another feather to their already impressive cap. The Boilermakers secured another Quad 1 victory and continue to look like a team built for March. Their climb to No. 5 in the latest poll reflects that.
Here’s how the top 25 looks following the latest update:
Top 10 Rundown:
- Michigan holds strong at No. 1 with an 11-0 record and 20 first-place votes, continuing to look like the team to beat.
- Arizona remains right on their heels at No. 2, also undefeated at 11-0 with 11 first-place votes.
- Iowa State jumps to No. 3, still perfect at 12-0, and gaining momentum in the eyes of the voters.
- UConn and Purdue round out the top five, both climbing one spot after recent wins.
- Duke slips to No. 6 after a setback, while Gonzaga, Houston, Michigan State, and BYU round out a top 10 stacked with one-loss powerhouses.
Notable Movers and Shakers:
- Vanderbilt and Nebraska continue to rise, both undefeated and now inside the top 13.
- Texas Tech makes a solid three-spot jump to No. 16, while Tennessee also climbs three spots to No. 20.
- Louisville drops three places to No. 14 after a pair of tough outings.
- Arkansas slips four spots to No. 18, showing how quickly the rankings can shift this time of year.
New Faces in the Poll:
- Georgia and USC break into the top 25 at No. 24 and No. 25, respectively, both riding strong starts to the season.
- Auburn, along with St. John’s, falls out of the rankings but still received votes-suggesting they’re not far from climbing back in with a solid stretch.
Others Receiving Votes: Auburn may be out of the top 25, but they’re still on the radar.
The Tigers earned 10 votes in this week’s poll, sitting just behind teams like St. John’s and Kentucky.
That’s a sign that voters haven’t written them off-especially with SEC play looming.
So where does Auburn go from here? The Tigers have one final nonconference game before diving into the SEC schedule, and that slate won’t be any easier.
But if there’s a silver lining to this early-season grind, it’s that Auburn has already faced some of the best. They’ve taken their lumps, sure-but they’ve also built a résumé that could age well come March.
Pearl’s message is clear: stay the course, keep improving, and let the strength of schedule speak for itself. If Auburn can find its rhythm in conference play, don’t be surprised if they’re back in the rankings-and battle-tested for the postseason.