BIRMINGHAM - Auburn’s first exhibition under Steven Pearl was supposed to offer a clean early look at a reshaped roster. Instead, it became a blunt lesson.
Florida State left Boutwell Auditorium with an 82-71 win, and the Seminoles did most of their damage in the second half after Auburn had already shown enough flash to make the game feel competitive. The Tigers led late in the first half, pushed the margin to eight after halftime, and kept punching back after a 10-0 Florida State run. But a rough 1:08 stretch flipped the night decisively.
Auburn entered that sequence down three after a run-ending and-1. Then Florida State answered with a 3, Auburn missed a jumper that became a fast-break basket the other way, and another turnover led to yet another Florida State transition score.
Five possessions later, the game had gone from close to double digits. Auburn never cut it back to within two possessions.
“It’s going to be great film to learn from,” Steven Pearl said. “We’ve got a long way to go, and we all know that. We’ve got to be accountable, and we’re going to be better for it.”
The final box score wasn’t pretty for Auburn, and the second half was where things really slipped away. Florida State scored 50 points after the break, while Auburn shot 28.6% from the field and finished with 11 turnovers against just four assists in the final 20 minutes.
Still, the Tigers weren’t exactly rolling out a full deck. Mantas Rubštaviciuš is in a lawsuit to fight for his eligibility, leaving the projected starting small forward unavailable. Owen Freeman is still working back from injury, and Kolby King missed the game after having his wisdom teeth removed earlier in the week.
Those absences matter, but Pearl wasn’t interested in turning them into a shield.
“I would say the three guys that weren't out there bring a different level of toughness to the roster - but that's not an excuse,” Pearl said. “Florida State kicked our tail tonight. … None of that really matters tonight, because we had enough out there to go win.
“And we just didn’t.”
The game was played in front of a home state crowd in Birmingham, and for stretches, Auburn looked like a team that could make the night interesting. But the Seminoles eventually imposed their will, and the Tigers’ new-look frontcourt drew the harshest kind of first impression.
The result won’t go into the record book, but the film absolutely will.
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Auburns offense is carrying more than a little extra scrutiny into Saturdays matchup with No. 1 Georgia, and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon made clear the Tigers know where the problems have been. He pointed to quarterback Byrum Browns interceptions, the offenses sluggish adjustments and the pre-snap penalties that have repeatedly put Auburn behind schedule, three issues that have undercut drives and made life harder on an offense already trying to find its footing.
Gordon framed the fixes as a shared responsibility, with Brown needing cleaner decision-making, the coaching staff needing to react faster and the unit as a whole needing more discipline before the ball is snapped. Against a defense like Georgias, those details tend to matter even more, and Auburns margin for error is likely to be thin unless the Tigers can clean up the self-inflicted mistakes that have become too familiar. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Signee's Eligibility Fight Could Decide If He Ever Plays
Auburns 2026-27 roster plans may end up tied to a courtroom fight involving one of its signees. Mantas Rubtaviius, a former professional basketball player, has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking a temporary restraining order and injunction so he can suit up for the Tigers next season, and the case centers on new NCAA guidance that takes a harder look at players with professional experience.
Rubtaviius argues that the current approach does not line up with past eligibility rulings, while Auburn has said it supports his legal right to seek clarity on where he stands. For now, the program is waiting on an October 16 court hearing that could determine whether this remains a paperwork issue or becomes a much bigger roster question for the Tigers. [Read more 🡒]
Auburn Just Got A New Opening In Georgias Banged-Up Backfield
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The ripple effect matters for Auburn because Georgia is also dealing with injuries to other running backs, including Dante Dowdell and Nate Frazier, which could force a thinner rotation than usual. Auburn has its own injury concerns in the backfield, leaving Jeremiah Cobb as the only healthy back getting regular reps, so both teams may end up leaning on depth they would rather not test this early. [Read more 🡒]