Auburn is the second team left out of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament. Because of its 17–16 overall record (7–11 in the SEC), Auburn didn’t make the cut for March Madness in 2026. Reaching the second round of the SEC Tournament and the program’s past season success wasn’t enough for the Tigers to convince the Selection Committee they deserved a spot.

During the Tigers’ first year without Bruce Pearl, they missed the NCAA Tournament. Auburn had made it into the 68-team bracket in each of the past four college basketball seasons. The last time Auburn’s season ended this early was in the 2020-21 campaign.

Auburn’s resume in NCAA Tournament

As the 2025-26 NCAA season comes to a close for the Tigers, the school in The Plains failed to secure its 15th March Madness appearance in program history. Auburn has yet to win its first NCAA Tournament. As it stands, the best the Tigers have done is reaching the Final Four in two occasions (2019 and 2025).

Multi-bid conferences in NCAA Tournament

Out of every conference with multiple bids in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the SEC reigns supreme. The Southeastern Conference has 10 representatives in the 68-team bracket.

Closing out the podium is the Big Ten conference, with 9 programs, and the ACC and Big 12 with 8 schools each. The SEC could have added two more schools with Oklahoma and Auburn. The Sooners and Tigers were the first and second teams left out, respectively.

SEC programs in the 68-team bracket

• Florida
• Arkansas
• Alabama
• Vanderbilt
• Tennessee
• Texas A&M
• Georgia
• Missouri
• Kentucky
• Texas (First Four)

The 2025 NCAA season has come to an early end for Manning and the Longhorns, but that only means they now have more time to gear up for the 2026 campaign. On that note, Steve Sarkisian is sending a message to the rest of college football with a second-to-none offensive unit.

However, Texas must give to get. After adding Coleman—the No. 1 WR in the portal—the Longhorns learned another talent in the wide receiver room has decided to continue his college football journey elsewhere, more specifically in Ann Arbor.

As reported by On3, Texas true freshman Jaime Ffrench has now committed to the Michigan Wolverines. The 6’1” wideout was a four-star prospect coming out of Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Florida. However, he redshirted his first season in Texas, appearing in just four games for the Longhorns. As he joins the Wolverines, he will have all four years of eligibility remaining.

No sweet home Alabama

It’s safe to say Texas has developed a taste for raining on Alabama’s parade. Though landing Coleman from Auburn was never going to be easy, the Tide and Horns were considered the two favorites to secure the sophomore wideout. In the end, the former Tigers star made his exit from The Plains easier by heading to Austin rather than Tuscaloosa.

As if snagging Coleman away from the Crimson Tide weren’t enough, the Horns got another victory over Alabama when North Carolina State transfer Hollywood Smothers (RB) flipped his commitment from Bama to Texas.

Championship or bust for Texas

Now, Texas boasts an offense with enough firepower to command respect from NFL defenses—let alone NCAA units. The Longhorns are only a few tweaks away on the offensive line from putting together a no-excuses unit for Manning to lead.

Texas is all in. It’s truly now or never for Sarkisian and company—because who knows when such a stacked team will next take the field at Darrell K. Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium?

Golesh is coming off a sensational year with the South Florida Bulls. Though the school fell short of the American Championship Game, the Bulls recorded a 9-3 record (6-2 conference) while taking down two ranked programs in the NCAA. Although the Bulls have earned bowl eligibility, Golesh won’t be on campus for that game, as he is headed to Auburn.

After three seasons in Tampa, Golesh is now moving to the next chapter in his coaching career. As he leaves town, he posted a brief, one-word reaction about his time with the University of South Florida.

“Grateful,” Golesh stated through his X account (formerly Twitter), along with a horns emoji and a picture of him and his family after the 52-3 victory against the Rice Owls.

Golesh record with USF

Through three college football campaigns with the Bulls, Golesh led the program to three straight winning seasons, including two bowl victories. As he walks away from the school in Cigar City, Golesh leaves behind a 23-15 record.

Golesh accomplished quite the turnaround for South Florida. Over the previous four years, the Bulls had gone 8-37—including two one-win seasons. With Golesh out of the picture, the school must find the perfect replacement to keep the vibes high.

Auburn looking to end losing seasons hex

With Golesh entering the picture, the Tigers have reason to believe the worst may be behind them. Coming off five straight losing seasons in the NCAA, Golesh will be tasked with righting the ship at Auburn. Bryan Harsin and Hugh Freeze couldn’t, but Golesh will hope for better luck as he takes over the reins.

With Auburn falling just short of the six-win quota to make a bowl game appearance ensues Golesh will have extra time to get to work in Auburn. In order to turn the tide, he will need all the time he can get.

If Alabama wins the game against Auburn, they will earn direct access to play for the SEC Championship against Georgia, which would be a highly anticipated rivalry clash for the conference title.

However, if Alabama fails to defeat Auburn on the road, they will be eliminated from the Georgia matchup, the Bulldogs will play against Ole Miss, and the Crimson Tide will miss the College Football Playoff. This makes them overwhelming favorites to win the 2025 Iron Bowl.

When was the last time Alabama lost at Jordan-Hare Stadium?

The last time Alabama lost to Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium was on November 30, 2019, in a tightly contested 48-45 road game. Before that, Auburn had won in 2017 against the Crimson Tide, who entered that game ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Between 2000 and 2007, Auburn significantly dominated Alabama, winning seven out of eight games. However, since 2008, they have managed only three wins against the Crimson Tide. The program’s dominance over the Tigers has been evident, with or without Coach Saban.

How many times has Kalen DeBoer won against Auburn?

So far, Kalen DeBoer has only one victory against Auburn. He is one of only four Alabama coaches in history to have secured just one win against them. However, things could change in the 2025 Iron Bowl if he manages to defeat the Tigers, who enter the game with a 1-6 record against SEC opponents.

Freeze’s time at the helm in Auburn wasn’t exactly what the Tigers hoped for. Following a 6-win campaign during Freeze’s first year on campus, the Tigers fell in their bowl game, and it’s only been downhill since. Last year, Auburn finished the 2024 NCAA season with a 5-7 record.

This time around, Auburn didn’t wait around to see where the school winded up before stepping in. After an embarrassing home game against the Wildcats, the Tigers decided to move on from their head coach, as the team fell to a 4-5 record in the season.

The Tigers can’t escape their regressing path, and the school opted to nip the problem in the bud. Now, Auburn must win at least two of its three remaining games in order to make a bowl game in the current season. If the Tigers fail to do so, they will see their season end short once again, for the third time in the past four years.

Buyout

Now, the Tigers will have to pay Freeze to leave the facilities on campus. According to reports from Sports Illustrated, Auburn must pay $15.8 million to Freeze. However, Freeze will face no mitigation. If he decides to take another job in college football, the school will still pay him every cent of his buyout.

Auburn’s last bowl win

Barring a miraculous run under interim head coach D.J. Durkin (defensive coordinator), the Tigers will fall short of the 6-game quota to make a bowl appearance in college football. Freeze had guided Auburn to one during his first season, but that was as good as it ever got for him during his tenure in the state of Alabama. As he packs his bags, Freeze walks away with a 15-19 record as head coach in Auburn.

The last time Auburn won a bowl game in the NCAA was during the 2018 season. Then, the program led by Gus Malzahn defeated the Purdue Boilermakers by a score of 63-17 at the Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

Tough stretch

With three games left in the campaign, the Tigers will aim for their first winning season since the shortened 2020 NCAA campaign. Up next, Auburn will take on No. 15 Vanderbilt on November 8.

Following that character-testing matchup, the Tigers will host the Mercer Bears before facing the Alabama Crimson Tide in Rivalry Week. If the previous two outings go as expected, Auburn could determine its bowl eligibility when it hosts its eternal rivals from Tuscaloosa.

“I think it’s very clear that we find ways to not win football games and that’s what has to change,” Freeze said after the Georgia game. The coach added a caveat to his players that the locker room has the talent to win games, but certain issues must be corrected.

Before the Georgia matchup, Freeze felt confident: “We felt great about the preparation, felt great about coming into this game, felt like we were going to win the game, and I’m here again feeling like we don’t know how to quite know how to do that.”

Freeze also underlined the need for a comprehensive review to solve the dire situation that has the Tigers sitting at 3-3 overall and 0-3 against conference rivals. He stated they need to examine everything, from coaching decisions to critical play-calling.

Tigers Struggling in the Second Half

For Freeze, something is clearly happening with the defense. He sees the team playing one way in the first half and then failing to replicate that performance in the second half, a pattern that is profoundly affecting how they lose games.

Freeze’s remarks were quite honest. In his third season with the Tigers, it is clear that he understands the problem is deep-rooted. They will have another chance next week against Missouri to try and end their current losing streak.

As speculation about a potential nine-game SEC schedule persists, there’s every indication that this enduring rivalry will continue indefinitely. Georgia‘s head coach was posed a hypothetical question: if the nine-game schedule doesn’t materialize, could he envision the conference abandoning its oldest rivalry?

Smart’s response to the possibility of playing the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry once again was firm. He openly expressed his frustration to the media at the thought of the matchup being removed from the schedule.

“Every game in the SEC is important,” Smart said at SEC Media Days. “I get it, that’s a that’s a huge rivalry game — a tradition that I love. I grew up in southwest Georgia, where it’s easier to get to Auburn than it was Georgia from where I live. So I respect that rivalry. But they’re all big games. I would hate to lose that one if that happened.”

The future of College Football according to Kirby Smart

There’s been a lot of discussion in recent weeks about potential changes to the NCAAF schedule, and unsurprisingly, a wide range of opinions has emerged. Among them is Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart, who has voiced his support for moving to a nine-game conference schedule.

“I don’t have a preference,” Smart revealed. “Forever, I was a nine-game proponent because it was better for our fan bases, it was better for television. It was better for increasing revenue, which is a huge demand right now in college athletics.

“I like the idea of nine. My concern with the idea of nine is, how are we picking the 12-14 teams, and who’s picking them? What do they value? Because I don’t think we saw value in adding nine more losses to our league last year in terms of the way (the CFP committee) pick the teams.”

The rare times Georgia and Auburn didn’t meet

The storied Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry between Georgia and Auburn has an almost uninterrupted history, yet there have been a rare five instances since its inception in 1892 when the Bulldogs and Tigers didn’t face off. The very next year, in 1893, no rematch was scheduled, marking the first gap. Four years later, in 1897, Georgia didn’t play a season at all, preventing the traditional matchup.

The two World Wars account for the remaining three missed games. The rivalry was paused for World War I in both 1917 and 1918, and again in 1943 due to World War II. Since the end of that conflict, specifically from 1944 onwards, Georgia and Auburn have played each other every single season, a testament to the rivalry’s importance.

This year’s highly anticipated contest is scheduled for October 11th at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn. Georgia currently holds the all-time series lead with a record of 65 wins, 56 losses, and 8 ties, having won every matchup since 2017.

Auburn will kickstart the 2025 NCAA campaign with a visit to the Baylor Bears at McLane Stadium. The Tigers are featuring a brand-new quarterback room after the departures from Payton Thorne and Hank Brown, and the arrival of Oklahoma transfer Jackson Arnold, Deuce Knight, and Ashton Daniels.

The Tigers are looking totally different now, and they hope they can showcase that by improving from their rough 5-7 record in 2024. As Freeze named the starter for the 2025 college football campaign, he voiced a firm vote of confidence to his QB room, putting Alabama, Texas, Georgia, and every SEC program on notice.

“Jackson Arnold, [the starting quarterback job] is his,” Freeze stated, according to On3. “I like our quarterback room a lot. I would argue that between Jackson [Arnold] and Deuce [Knight] and Ashton [Daniels], our quarterback room rivals the top rooms in this league. Now we’ve got to go prove it. Jackson didn’t prove it last year at Oklahoma.”

Plan B quarterback

Along with Arnold, Freeze’s Auburn features Knight who is gearing up for his freshman year in college football, yet is already making a name for himself in The Plains, where the head coach has the utmost confidence in the 18-year-old.

“His arm strength — he can make every single throw as a true freshman, and I haven’t seen that a lot,” Freeze added. “He’s got this demeanor about him that everybody wants to be around him and is drawn to him. He’s a zero excuse maker. He comes in and he studies and I just think the sky’s the limit for a guy with that size, that range, that arm strength, that IQ.“

Auburn is determined to abandon the SEC basement, and Freeze made sure to remind that to the Longhorns, Crimson Tide, Dawgs, and the top teams in the league.

Moreover, Auburn will vie to snap their losing streak against Alabama, with their win in the Rivalry Week showdown being in 2019. Freeze, Arnold, and the Tigers will walk into the season aiming to end their five-year drought in the Iron Bowl.

In a game that could’ve gone either way, the No. 1 seed in the South Region fell to the No. 1 seed in the West. But the parity in rankings does little to ease the lingering pain for the college basketball program on The Plains.

Broome, Bruce Pearl, and the Tigers had no answers for Walter Clayton Jr., who tormented Auburn all night long in San Antonio. While Broome is looking to move on from the loss and focus on his journey to the NBA Draft, a star teammate of his could be eyeing one more year in the NCAA.

After the loss to Florida, Auburn star Chad Baker-Mazara dropped a mysterious statement on his social media, hinting at a possible final season in college.

“2025/26 War Eagle?” Tigers senior guard Chad Baker-Mazara stated on his X, formerly Twitter, account. His message is a hint at Auburn’s battle cry, which has its origin in 1892 and it could well mean he is staying in school for the 2025-26 campaign.

Baker-Mazara’s post made waves on social media, as the 25-year-old could still return for another season in the NCAA. If he declares for the 2026 NBA Draft, he’d enter the league at 26. To put it into perspective, LaMelo Ball, who debuted during the 2020-21 season, is only 23 years old now.

Not a farewell

Moreover, the suspense around Baker-Mazara’s future rises as he has yet to announce a clear decision on his next step after the loss in the NCAA Tournament.

“Auburn, love y’all. Y’all have made me better as a person and a player in so many ways. Even though we fell short of the chip, it was a great season—and there are no other fans like you guys,” Baker-Mazara previously wrote, without clarifying whether this marked the end of his time with the program.

Odd man in

While Auburn starters like Johni Broome, Denver Jones, Dylan Cardwell, and Miles Kelly ran out of eligibility in college basketball, Baker-Mazara has one year left of eligibility if he intends to use it. His extra season was granted by the NCAA due to his year in junior college (JUCO). However, when asked shortly after the loss to the Gators, Baker-Mazara had no interest getting into any plans for the future.

“Man, come on. The game just ended,” he answered after being asked about a potential return next season.

However, judging by his latest activity on social media, it appears the 25-year-old Dominican guard has started to give serious thought to the question about his future.

Broome is a natural leader for this team, and he demonstrates it not only with his numbers after the games but also with his attitude during the games. In the second quarter, during a block attempt, the talented player fell to the floor, seriously injuring not only his elbow but also one of his knees.

Amid the concern of everyone in the stadium, the center left to undergo tests, which came back negative for a serious injury. His return was immediate, and despite the pain from the hit, Broome quickly responded with a three-pointer.

“It was a scary moment but my team had my back… I came back. Whatever it takes to help my team win,” the Tigers star stated once the game concluded via @CBSSports.

Broome led Auburn to within one step of the final, after a superb performance that ended with 25 points and 14 rebounds. If he maintains this level, his next opponent will definitely need to be on high alert for what’s to come.

Bruce Pearl praised Broome’s performance

Bruce Pearl is the mastermind behind this great team that is just two games away from becoming champions in College Basketball. The head coach knows he has a great talent in Broome and made sure to make it clear after the victory against the Spartans.

“You talk about delivering again at the biggest moments,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said of Broome via CBS Sports. Additionally, he reflected on the injury suffered during the game: “I bet he’ll be sore tomorrow.”

Finally, the head coach addressed the upcoming game, where they will face the Florida Gators in what will undoubtedly be a tough matchup: “Unfortunately there will only be one SEC team playing for the national championship.”

What’s next for the Tigers?

Next Saturday, April 5th, at The Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, the Auburn Tigers will be looking for a spot in the National Championship final as they face the other No. 1 seed, the Florida Gators.

On the other side of the bracket, the other finalist will be determined by the winner of the game between the Houston Cougars and the Duke Blue Devils, both also top seeds in their respective regions.

The freshman guard led his team from start to finish, never giving the Wolverines a chance to get into the game. With 20 points to his name, Pettiford was decisive in key moments, ultimately sealing the victory and securing their spot in the next round with a final score of 78-65.

After the game concluded at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Tahaad Pettiford took some time to speak with the press and expressed that he will do everything in his power to achieve the ultimate goal with Auburn.

“I’m ready for the moment. I want to win it all, so whatever I got to do to win, we will,” Pettiford said, per Trevor Denton of WAAYTV.

Broome praised Pettiford’s performance

Throughout the season, Tahaad Pettiford has become one of the cornerstones of the Tigers, who are fighting for a spot in the March Madness final. Johnni Broome, a key figure in the roster, had nothing but words of respect for his teammate.

“He does whatever it takes to win. When we need a spark, he gives a spark, and he’s a good person, good human being,” Broome stated to the media in the press conference

He finally concluded: “There’s not too many freshmen who can take over a game like he can.”

What’s next for the Tigers?

After the solid victory over the Wolverines, Bruce Pearl’s squad earned the right to compete in the Elite Eight. There, they will face the Michigan State Spartans next Sunday, March 30, once again at the State Farm Stadium in Atlanta.