Auburn’s football team may still be holding the spotlight right now, but the Tigers are about to give their basketball season its first real test. Before the official opener arrives, Auburn will get a useful look at where this roster stands in a pair of exhibition games that should say a lot about what’s ahead.
The first chance comes Wednesday against Florida State, followed by an unusual preseason Iron Bowl against Alabama the next Thursday. Auburn then finishes its exhibition schedule against Samford on Oct. 29 before turning to the regular season on Nov. 4 against Southeastern Louisiana.
There’s plenty to watch, but the biggest storyline starts in the backcourt. Kevin Overton said recently that he and fellow returning guard Tahaad Pettiford haven’t spent much time practicing together this offseason, though he still believes the two can perform at a high level when the games matter.
These exhibition matchups will be the first real look at that pairing in 2026, and the timing matters because Auburn no longer has Keyshawn Hall, who was the team’s top producer last season. That shifts a heavy load onto Overton and Pettiford, and if they catch on quickly, they could make life a lot easier for everyone else.
The Alabama game also stands out for another reason: it offers an early read on how Auburn might handle SEC-level pressure this season. The Tigers and Tide have played plenty of close games in recent seasons, and this one will give Auburn a chance to strike first, even if it’s only in exhibition play. It’s still preseason, no matter how seriously fans on the internet treat it, but the way Auburn approaches that matchup should reveal a lot about its mindset.
Roster turnover is another major piece of the puzzle. Auburn has overhauled its team again, bringing in players from across the country and across the Atlantic. The group is led by French 7-footer Narcisse Ngoy, and the transfer class gives Auburn a real chance to be a contender this season.
That also makes early chemistry one of the most important things to monitor. None of the incoming transfers came from the same program, so these first few games will show how quickly they can start to click.
And with only two players from last year’s starting rotation - Overton and Pettiford - expected to play meaningful roles again, several newcomers will have a clear path to carve out minutes right away. If someone pops early, that player could end up shaping Auburn’s season in a major way.
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Auburn's Offensive Line Fix Hinges On A Reality Fans Hate
Auburns offensive line has been one of those problems that has lingered through multiple coaching staffs, and it is still shaping the conversation around Alex Goleshs first steps with the program. His plan leans heavily on a reality fans often dislike hearing: the quickest fix is not always the best one. Instead of trying to patch the unit together year by year, Golesh is focusing on developing young linemen already in the building, including Kenneth McManus and Wilson Zierer, while also making high school recruiting the backbone of the rebuild.
That approach stands in contrast to the more transfer-heavy stopgap methods Auburn has leaned on before, and it asks for patience at a position group where patience is usually in short supply. The upside is obvious if the development takes hold, because a stable offensive line can change everything for a program trying to reset itself. The downside is just as clear, since the current performance issues are not going away overnight, and the Tigers are still waiting to see whether this longer-term strategy can turn into real protection and consistent push up front. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn's Rebuild Suddenly Feels Tied To What These Commits Become
Auburns rebuilding year has already taken on a longer horizon under Alex Golesh, and the bye week only reinforced that shift. At 3-2 through five games, the Tigers are trying to build this thing the slower way, with more emphasis on high school recruiting than a heavy transfer-portal fix. The coaching staff used the open date to get on the road and into stands around the region, and Golesh made his own rounds while Auburns 2027 class kept climbing into the top 15 nationally.
That is where the story starts to feel more important than a typical midseason recruiting update. Auburn already has 25 commitments in that class, and several of those pledges are putting together strong high school seasons that give the staff plenty to point to as they sell the future. The next step is still months away, but for a program in the middle of a rebuild, the real question is whether those commits keep developing into the kind of core that can make this approach work. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Is Already Framing Auburn As Georgias Next SEC Test
Georgias win over Alabama kept the Bulldogs unbeaten in SEC play, but Kirby Smart was quick to remind anyone listening that the league schedule only gets harder from here. After a tight 20-17 finish against the Crimson Tide, Smart leaned into the familiar message about staying locked in week to week, a warning that matters just as much for the teams chasing Georgia as it does for the team trying to protect its place.
Auburn is next on the slate, with the matchup set for Oct. 17 and Georgia entering as the favorite. For the Tigers, it is another reminder of how quickly the SEC race can shift, especially when a team like Georgia is already looking at the next challenge before the celebration from the last one has fully faded. [Read more 🡒]