Auburn’s exhibition slate ended with a mixed bag, and Steven Pearl has a pretty clear snapshot now of where his Tigers stand before Wednesday’s opener against Southeastern Louisiana.
The results were uneven - a 1-2 mark that included losses to Florida State and Alabama, followed by an 80-68 win over Samford - but the stretch still offered a useful look at what Auburn can be. There’s talent here. There are also obvious issues that still need cleaning up.
At the top of the list: Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton are going to drive this offense.
That much was hard to miss against Samford, where the duo combined for 45 points to help Auburn close exhibition play on a high note. Overton also poured in 26 against Alabama, further reinforcing his role as one of the team’s primary scoring options.
The flip side showed up against Florida State. Pettiford and Overton were held to just two assists and seven turnovers combined, a rough night that highlighted the balance Pearl wants from his backcourt. The message is simple: stay aggressive, but make better decisions and get teammates involved.
Auburn’s physicality was another major storyline, and not in a good way at first.
Florida State exposed that issue early, beating the Tigers on the glass by 11 and getting a huge night from freshman Marcis Ponder, who finished with 21 rebounds. Pearl’s reaction afterward was blunt: "Our fives got punked," Pearl said.
The Tigers answered with a much stronger showing against Alabama, then backed it up by outrebounding Samford 44-27. That response mattered, but the frontcourt still has to bring that level more consistently.
There are also some younger names starting to surface.
George Kimble III stood out as one of Auburn’s few bright spots against Florida State, finishing with six assists and bringing energy off the bench. Pearl also pointed to his toughness, especially given that it was his first game in approximately a year and a half.
Caleb Williams added to that momentum. The freshman scored 11 points against Alabama and then had 14 against Samford, knocking down three 3-pointers in the process. He looks like another player who could grow into a meaningful role as the season unfolds.
The biggest issue, though, may be execution.
Against Florida State, Auburn’s shot selection was shaky, with the Tigers launching 42 3-pointers while getting to the free-throw line only 14 times. Pearl also took issue with the ball movement. Then against Alabama, Auburn made just one of its final eight field-goal attempts.
The talent is there to score. The challenge is turning that talent into cleaner possessions and better shots, especially when games tighten up late.
If there was one encouraging sign across the exhibition schedule, it was Auburn’s ability to respond after the Florida State loss. The Tigers played with more force against Alabama and nearly stole that game before falling 87-85. They then finished with a 12-point win over Samford.
Pearl wanted progress through exhibition play, and Auburn gave him some. But the Tigers are still a work in progress as they head into the regular season.
Auburn opens Wednesday against Southeastern Louisiana at Neville Arena, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. CT.
In Other News...
Auburns Ole Miss Collapse Drew A Pointed Response From Alex Golesh
Auburns trip to Ole Miss ended with a 45-15 loss that left Alex Golesh sounding every bit like a coach who knows his team is running out of margin for error. Afterward, he pointed to the Tigers lack of finish, noting the offense never found enough consistency to keep pace and that the running game never got going, with Auburn held to just 63 rushing yards.
Golesh also talked through offensive line changes and the kinds of costly mistakes that can swing a game off course, including penalties that made life harder throughout the afternoon. With bowl eligibility still in play, he challenged both players and coaches to clean things up quickly, because Auburn cannot afford many more second-half fades like the one it suffered against the Rebels. [Read more 🡒]
Auburns Biggest Problem Looks Worse Than A Talent Issue
Auburns 45-15 loss to Ole Miss did more than add another mark in the wrong column. It exposed a team still searching for basic stability, with penalties, special teams mistakes, offensive line inconsistency and a general lack of clean execution all piling up in a game that never felt close. Alex Golesh has already started making changes up front, a sign that the staff is trying to find answers quickly rather than wait for the problems to sort themselves out.
The bigger concern is that this does not look like a simple talent gap that can be fixed by one or two breakout performances. Auburns issue has become one of finishing and functioning, and the next stretch against Arkansas, Mississippi State and Samford will say a lot about whether the Tigers can turn that frustration into progress. Those games should offer a clearer read on how much of this is fixable and how much deeper the trouble really goes. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Delivered The Kind Of SEC Road Finish Fans Love
Auburns trip to Fayetteville on Oct. 25 had the feel of a classic SEC road test, the kind that asks plenty of questions before it gives any answers. At Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the Tigers handled Arkansas 33-24 behind a mix of contributions from Cam Coleman, Jackson Arnold, Ashton Daniels and Jeremiah Cobb, a balanced showing that gave Auburn enough offense to keep control through the finish.
For Hugh Freeze, it was the sort of result that can travel well in conference play, especially with Auburn getting production from multiple spots instead of leaning on one player alone. Arkansas interim coach Bobby Petrino was on the other sideline as the Tigers closed out a win that should resonate with fans who value a tough road finish, even if the bigger picture in the SEC still has plenty of work ahead. [Read more 🡒]