The Auburn Tigers are moving on in the NIT, winning their first two games at Neville Arena to advance as one of the last eight teams remaining after handling Seattle University in a close 91-85 game.

It will now be an extremely challenging matchup against Nevada on Wednesday again on The Plains, with a trip to the semifinals in Indianapolis on the line.

It’s safe to say the Tigers have certainly shown up nicely in the event.

https://x.com/AuburnMBB/status/2035858437523882193

https://x.com/AuburnMBB/status/2035868278845833327

“I want to thank our fans that came out tonight. Our guys felt their presence, and they’ve been phenomenal for us all year,” Auburn coach Steven Pearl said. “To score 91 points against that team is good. As the game went on, guys made shots…We did a good job of making the easy pass and getting downhill. We shared it. We did a lot of good things offensively that we can build off.”

Offensively, it was Kevin Overton and Elyjah Freeman leading the way with 23 points and 19 points respectively. Keyshawn Hall did not have a strong shooting night but found other ways to make an impact with 15 rebounds and five assists. 

“He did a good job of doing the things we ask him to do. Fifteen rebounds is huge,” Pearl said on Hall before praising the others as well. “[Overton] has been playing well offensively since SEC play got started…Every time he shoots it, we think it’s going in. He’s been a great spark for us offensively.”

The game on Wednesday will tip off at Neville Arena at 8:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday evening.

The Auburn Tigers are beginning a new era this spring under a new head coach in Alex Golesh, and the former South Florida standout young coach is already making an impression on his team.

While Golesh’s predecessor Hugh Freeze was elite on the recruiting trail, the results never translated to game day. As a result, the Tigers have a new head coach for the third time in the last half decade.

After spring practice this week, one Auburn star — linebacker Xavier Atkins — made it very clear that things have changed when he was asked what he has seen from Golesh so far.

https://x.com/NextRoundLive/status/2034658576594043348

“It’s different,” Atkins said. “It’s more structure and leadership. It’s not where they’re asking, they’re demanding greatness…you are gonna show up and do your job. And that’s the type of stuff that we need as a team. Last year we shouldn’t have felt like we can just walk in here…you gotta come in here and do your job and prove yourself. Nobody’s job is guaranteed, so that’s the biggest thing he emphasized in the first practice. We’re gonna make sure we compete every day.”

While Atkins likely did not mean his words as a shot at Freeze, it’s hard to take it any other way than the culture on The Plains was not where it needed to be while the former head coach was in charge.

If Golesh can fix it and get his team to be able to get it done on Saturdays, he is going to have a tremendous chance of succeeding as the Auburn head coach.

The Auburn Tigers defeated the South Alabama Jaguars 78-67 in the first round of the NIT at home on Tuesday night after failing to make the NCAA Tournament, but there was a notable absence from the Tigers lineup with star big man KeShawn Murphy.

Shortly before the game tipped off, it was revealed that the Mississippi State transfer did not attend practice on Monday without telling the coaching staff and decided to opt out of the tournament.

The story was broken by Justin Hokanson of On3 a little over an hour before tip off.

https://x.com/_JHokanson/status/2034068651368710605

After the win, head coach Steven Pearl was asked about Murphy, and he confirmed that the forward had chosen not to play but that he was not certain as to why.

https://x.com/NextRoundLive/status/2034230196551778422

“Murph has decided not to play in these games and I’m not sure why,” Pearl said before getting his player’s back. “Listen, we love Murph. Have a lot of love for everything he’s done for us and his commitment to this program, so wish him well. We want him to still finish up academically. I’ve got nothing but love for Murph….we’re just gonna pour into the guys that are here and want to hoop.”

Murphy — a Birmingham native — averaged 10.7 points per game and nearly seven rebounds in his lone season on The Plains after three years in Starkville.

Meanwhile, the Tigers will continue their NIT bid at home this weekend in the second round against Seattle.

The Auburn Tigers are beginning a new era this season under a new head coach in Alex Golesh, and with spring practice finally getting underway this week, fans are getting their first glimpse into how he is going to run things on The Plains.

It was pointed out by several savvy media members that it looks like Auburn has a new program slogan donning the walls of the facilities.

https://x.com/JFergusonAU/status/2033915630424879546

All over the facade of the practice field is the new phrase entitled “Be Who You Say You Are,” likely a motto from Golesh directly which will encourage players to work as hard as they may present that they are going to work.

Coming off the last two eras of Auburn football, it feels like a fitting way to transition the program into what fans hope is a completely different time in terms of results.

Golesh looked to be extremely hands on with all position groups at practice, walking from place to place and giving each group his take on technique and intensity as he gets the Tigers ready for a season which he hopes lays the groundwork for future success.

https://x.com/_JHokanson/status/2033917506188968232

https://x.com/DrewPavan_TV/status/2033919597825462581?s=20

With plenty of time left to go until the season begins, Golesh is just getting started. Chances are, he’s going to be exactly who he says he is.

The Auburn Tigers’ bid to play in the NCAA Tournament officially came to a close on Selection Sunday, with the team falling just short of the field in Steven Pearl’s first season following a dreadful stretch in February and early exit in the SEC Tournament.

While the Tigers are not going to the big dance, they did accept their bid to the NIT where they are the No. 1 overall seed and will face the South Alabama Jaguars on Tuesday night in a rare in-state postseason matchup.

https://x.com/AuburnMBB/status/2033355995552899079

Things will tip off at Neville Arena on Tuesday night at 9:00 CST, and the winner is going to face the winner of No. 4 Seattle University and No. 5 St. Thomas (MN). If Auburn wins on Tuesday, the second round game would be at Neville Arena as well.

South Alabama finished the season 21-11 overall and 11-7 in the Sun Belt Conference, failing to win the conference tournament which would have given them an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. Auburn meanwhile finishes the year with a record of 17-16 and 7-11 in conference play, marks which were not able to get them into the tournament despite having one of the hardest schedules in the country.

While everyone is of course disappointed with the way things ended for the Tigers, the NIT represents an opportunity for a fresh start and to build some momentum into next year, while also providing Pearl with some additional coaching experience.

It should be a good one between the Tigers and Jaguars on Tuesday night.

Former Auburn men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl may now be the biggest fan of the program in the country, with his son Steven taking the reins this season following his surprising retirement before the year began.

For the younger Pearl, it’s been a rough go of it since the start of February.

It’s very much beginning to look like Auburn will miss the NCAA Tournament following their SEC Tournament defeat against Tennessee. As for the elder Pearl, he had some choice words for officials while spectating his son’s team on Thursday in a viral social media clip.

https://x.com/therandomsec/status/2032225960477556870?s=46

Pearl’s expletive-laced tirade brought shades of him back on the sidelines to mind, however, the referees no longer have the ability to assess him with a technical foul.

While Pearl has been at peace with his retirement all year long, it cannot be easy to watch his son try to find his way as a coach while having no control from the sidelines.

It’s likely a spot that will take some getting used to for the veteran coach.

The Auburn Tigers lost a tough one in Nashville to the Tennessee Volunteers to be eliminated from the SEC Tournament in their second game and potentially push their NCAA Tournament hopes over the edge as they await their fate on Selection Sunday.

While the Tigers have played one of the toughest schedules in the nation and do have some impressive wins, they finish their season barely above .500, and them being in the field would make Auburn the first team in history to make the tournament with 16 losses to their name.

Despite all that, Auburn head coach Steven Pearl still believes his team deserves a shot in his first year at the helm to play in March Madness, and after the loss he argued his case.

https://x.com/NextRoundLive/status/2032236115915133357

“We deserve to be in the tournament,” Pearl said when asked about whether his team would accept an NIT bid if they are not selected, saying that there have not been internal discussions on the topic to this point. “What people have to understand is that it’s my job to fight for my team, it’s my job to be my team’s advocate, and it’s my job to speak about all the things this group has done.”

“We scheduled a really hard out of conference schedule and we had some really quality wins in that streak. This tournament is a team of who you can beat, and if you look at six teams on the bubble right now, we have more top-25 NET wins than everyone in that group but Missouri and we have more top-50 wins than everyone in that group.”

Pearl continued to cite stats showing his belief that the Tigers are a better team than those they will be evaluated against for the final spots in the field.

“This team deserves to be in the tournament,” he said. “It’s a team that can win games in the tournament, and I think they have done enough ultimately to have their name called on Selection Sunday.”

Pearl will have to await until Sunday evening to find out his team’s fate, but it does not look all that great at this time. After a disastrous month of February and an early exit in Nashville, their hopes may be hanging by a thread at this point, but time will tell whether or not they get in.

Charles Barkley and Justin Thomas are two of the best representatives of the Yellowhammer State and the respective rivalry between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers, and they just proved why once again.

During this week’s press conference for the Arnold Palmer Invitational — where the former Alabama standout and two-time Major champion is making his return from injury — Barkley snuck into the media seats and was able to get a question to Thomas.

Unsurprisingly, the Auburn legend used that opportunity to poke at the Crimson Tide.

https://x.com/GolfDigest/status/2029289497842597968?s=20

“My question is, when Alabama was getting rolled by Indiana, where exactly were you at?” Barkley quipped, getting a big laugh out of Thomas.

“I was at home, probably just looking at my phone waiting for some kind of sarcastic text from you, or all of the sudden all these huge Indiana football fans that were friends of mine that I had no idea about,” Thomas joked. “So yeah, I should’ve reached out to you how you deal with big losses like that, you’ve gone through that more than I have, so I should’ve just asked you.”

Barkley was a good sport as always, telling Thomas that was a well-played response.

Thomas tees it up Thursday for the first time this season following back surgery in November and will try to return to his winning form ahead of the Masters in April.

The Auburn Tigers earned a much-needed victory on Senior Night Tuesday evening at Neville Arena, defeating the LSU Tigers 88-74 to keep their tournament hopes alive headed into the final game of the regular season this weekend.

It’s a victory that takes some pressure off the team following seven losses in their last eight contests, however the task does not get any easier from here with just one regular season game left this weekend at Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

By beating LSU — one of the worst teams in the conference — Auburn kept its narrow tournament hopes alive as the Tigers find themselves squarely on the bubble. A victory over the Tide on the road — which would be their sixth Quad 1 victory of the season — likely would be enough to push them into the NCAA Tournament.

Should the Tigers lose Saturday, their March Madness hopes barring a shocking run to victory at the SEC Tournament in Nashville would likely be all but dashed.

Meanwhile, Alabama will be coming off a loss after they were defeated on the road Tuesday against a solid Georgia Bulldogs team that likely will be in the tournament as well.

Auburn hasn’t exactly inspired confidence over the past month, so nothing feels guaranteed — but it’s fair to say Wednesday sets up as a win-or-else spot against Alabama, with the Tigers trying to avoid getting swept by their hated rival this season.

The Tide will be heavily favored, and if the Tigers cannot find a way to get themselves up for what would be a huge upset, it likely spells the end of their season.

In doing so, it would also mark the conclusion to year one of the Steven Pearl era with no tournament appearance — which has not been a reality for Auburn in nearly a decade — notwithstanding the 2020-21 season self-imposed a postseason ban.

It should be a tremendous showdown at Coleman, and Auburn will have to do everything they can to come away with a victory. The fate of their season relies on it.

It’s been a rough go for Auburn Tigers head coach Steven Pearl in his first season at the helm, especially here down the stretch during what has been a pretty massive collapse for the team.

Following the team’s seventh defeat in the last eight games, with a potentially tournament extinguishing home defeat to Ole Miss, Pearl apologized to the fans for the second straight loss in a press conference that lasted right around 150 seconds.

https://x.com/NextRoundLive/status/2028086197336019095

“I want to apologize to our fans who have been so phenomenal all year, they deserve better,” Pearl said in what was a very brief opening statement. “We had an opportunity to step on their throats and didn’t…I feel like I sound like a broken record every time you allow teams to make shots early that gives them confidence.”

Pearl interestingly revealed that KeShawn Murphy — who started for most of the season but came off the bench on Saturday and has struggled recently — was 20 minutes late to a film session this week and that was the reason why he did not start.

Auburn now finds itself in a tough spot — the remaining two regular season games against LSU and Alabama are must-wins if they want to make the NCAA Tournament.

Starting Tuesday night, Pearl and the Tigers have no margin for error if they hope to avoid disaster.

The Auburn Tigers dropped another one on Tuesday night as their NCAA Tournament hopes dwindle with just three games remaining, being thoroughly dominated by the Oklahoma Sooners.

Following the 91-79 loss, Tigers head coach Steven Pearl apologized to the Auburn fanbase for his team’s performance in what was one of the most important games of the season.

“I want to apologize to our fans for that poor performance tonight,” he said in the postgame press conference. “…We were entitled tonight, we were selfish tonight on the defensive end. We had no urgency, and that’s unacceptable. I’ve got to change up how I’m coaching these guys. I’ve got to ratchet up my intensity a little bit more, and maybe they’ll start to play like I act.”

With two home games coming up against two of the worst teams in the conference in Ole Miss and LSU, each of them become now an absolute must-win if they are going to have a spot in the tournament.

The first season of Pearl’s tenure has obviously not gone as planned with an overall record of 15-13 and a conference record of 6-9, however, there is still time to salvage things. If the Tigers can win the next two and defeat Alabama in the season finale, they will likely be off the bubble and safely in the tournament field.

If they drop any of the next three however, things get even more dicey than they already are.

The Auburn Tigers are in a new era as a program led by new head coach Alex Golesh, and he is certainly running things a whole lot differently from the way they have gone in the past.

Auburn has a long held reputation of allowing boosters and big money donors to meddle in decision making, but Golesh — with his own stamp of approval — is putting a stop to all of it, and he is not afraid to let those same boosters know right to their face.

During an exclusive interview with On3, Golesh talked about this narrative and how he has changed the way financial supporters have access to the decisions he makes. While he emphasized transparency, everything ultimately is his call at the end of the day.

“Are there people involved in helping fund this operation? Hell yeah, you need those people,” he said of the boosters. “It’s also being very real with them, it’s having conversations, and it’s being really honest…They have a right to know what you’re spending money on. But you have to be really careful. If you’re going to spend money and then want to be involved in decision-making, then we’re good. We don’t need your money. If you’re upfront and honest from the beginning, you’ve got a chance.”

Whether or not Golesh was talking about anyone specifically cannot be known, but following what has been a dark era for Auburn Football, clearly he is determined to do things his way and get the Tigers back to consistently winning.

Alabama Crimson Tide director of athletics Greg Byrne has never been afraid to go to bat for his coaches both publicly and privately, and he did so once again amid Nate Oats being the subject of intense criticism.

One of the most vocal people against Oats’ decision to play Charles Bediako while he was ruled eligible on a TRO was former Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl. Calling the decision from his former adversary selfish and accusing him of not caring about the conference, creating some major headlines.

Byrne was asked about those comments during an appearance with John Canzano, and reacted directly to them with a shot at Pearl’s past transgressions.

https://x.com/johncanzanobft/status/2023551715031785808

“You know, the bible said he who is without sin shall cast the first stone, and so I try to do my best to live within those parameters,” Byrne said with a smile when asked for his reaction. Canzano pressed further, asking if he is saying Pearl has some sins.

“We all do,” he answered. “The longer you’re in this world, it doesn’t matter. You’re dealing with 650 young people, you’re dealing with 350 employees, you’re dealing with a lot of fans who are passionate about college sports, you’re gonna have challenges, that’s part of it.”

Byrne’s not so subtle jab was of course a reference to the way Pearl’s tenure ended at Tennessee amid an NCAA investigation that found he had committed recruiting violations, and while controversial, Alabama playing Bediako was very much within the framework of the rules.

It’s safe to say there is no love lost between Byrne and Pearl, and the rivalry between the two programs is only going to get more heated if this war of words continues.

The Auburn Tigers dropped their fourth straight game over the weekend with a road defeat against a surging Arkansas Razorbacks team that looks like one of the best in the SEC.

Beyond the Arkansas defeat — which was expected by most after it was revealed Keyshawn Hall was not playing — this is now the fourth loss in a row for Auburn and puts their NCAA Tournament status somewhat in jeopardy.

With Hall’s absence still to be determined — a mysterious disciplinary issue that Steven Pearl said led to him being benched — things are getting a bit precarious down the stretch for the Tigers in Pearl’s first season as head coach.

https://x.com/NextRoundLive/status/2023047772908265878

“We’ve got to take advantage of these last six [games] because we are as good as all the teams we play moving forward,” Pearl said. “We’ve gotta capitalize and come together and we’ve got to limit our distractions off the floor. We’ve got to stop being put in positions where we have to make decisions to discipline guys. If we can do that and focus on basketball for a couple weeks, this team has shown it has an ability to win big games.”

If the season were to end today, Auburn would be in the tournament, but things get a bit dicey if they don’t finish strong. With games at Mississippi State, vs. Kentucky, at Oklahoma, vs. Ole Miss, vs. LSU and at Alabama remaining, the Tigers need to start picking up some victories.

Whether Hall is in the lineup moving forward remains to be seen, but Auburn is going to have to get it done with or without him.

Though much of the attention on the SEC’s athletic domination is understandably placed on the football gridiron, the baseball diamond might just be where the SEC reigns most supreme.

Coming off a thrilling opening weekend in college baseball, 11 teams from the conference are ranked in the latest poll with the Auburn Tigers sitting in the top-10 at No. 9.

D1Baseball.com dropped the official new batch Monday morning, and there are some familiar faces littered across it.

https://x.com/On3/status/2023403786627146179

The Tigers swept Youngstown State with two thrilling 2-1 victories on Friday and Saturday before flexing their muscles in a 17-2 win on Sunday to start the season 3-0. Beyond Auburn, the SEC is absolutely dominating the rankings.

https://x.com/AuburnBaseball/status/2023105793021853714

With three teams in the top-five (LSU at No. 2, Texas at No. 3, Mississippi State at No. 4), the SEC also makes up half of the top-10 with Arkansas at No. 8 just ahead of Auburn.

Expanding to the top-15 gives the SEC three more spots with Florida at No. 12, Tennessee at No. 13, and Georgia at No. 14. Kentucky also cracks the top-20 at No. 18.

With Oklahoma at No. 21 and Texas A&M at No. 24, the conference continues a trend that has defined the sport for years: when it comes to baseball, nobody comes close to the SEC.

Former Auburn Tigers legend Charles Barkley did not hold back when discussing the NCAA’s decision making as of late.

During an appearance on “The Next Round,” he was asked about the Charles Bediako situation at Alabama and him being denied eligibility, and he let it be known exactly what he thinks about the NCAA right now.

https://x.com/NextRoundLive/status/2021629689916465186

“I don’t even know how to answer the question to be honest with you because the NCAA is a bunch of bumbling idiots,” Barkley said. “I don’t know what their rules are…I don’t understand how this whole thing works.”

“I’m not sure what the NCAA is doing…I wish they would have some sort of rhyme or reason. I’m a big Nate Oats fan.”

Barkley went on to joke that Auburn should be awarded the victory in the game they lost to Alabama since he lost a bet to a friend — giving up $100 following the Crimson Tide’s victory in Neville Arena last weekend.

While Barkley bleeds blue and orange, clearly he believes in common sense as much as the next guy.

If Alabama knows anything, it’s how to get the last laugh.

The Crimson Tide won a thrilling game over the weekend on the road against the Auburn Tigers to pull ahead in the SEC standings and earn a huge victory over their rival — the second year in a row at Neville Arena.

As is always the case when the Tide hits The Plains, there is no love lost for the team wearing Crimson. On Coach Oats‘ way down the tunnel, an orange shirt was launched in his direction, which Oats hilariously picked up and carried into the locker room.

https://x.com/katiewindham_/status/2020277742370222251

Now, UA’s Yea Alabama NIL collective has found a creative way to raise some funds — and draw Auburn’s ire — using the shirt Oats picked up.

It has been signed by the entire team, along with Oats himself, and is up for auction on the website through the end of this week.

https://x.com/yea_ala/status/2020992559883944055

At the time of writing, bidding was already up to $1,300 with 13 people throwing their hat in the ring. Bidding will continue through Thursday, February 12, and one lucky fan will wind up with a very unique piece of Tide Hoops history.

Football season officially came to a close on Sunday night in a 29-13 Super Bowl victory for the Seattle Seahawks, and as it turns out, a few former Alabama and Auburn players will now be blinged out with Super Bowl rings.

A total of six players are repping the state of Alabama with their Super Bowl win, the most prominent name was former Tigers pass rusher Derick Hall, who had an absolutely massive game with two sacks and a forced fumble that effectively put things on ice in the second half.

https://x.com/PFF/status/2020684900253475268

Beyond Hall, former Alabama cornerback Josh Jobe had a big night in the secondary with six tackles and completely shutting down the opposition, holding New England below 100 total yards as an offense headed into the fourth quarter. Crimson Tide former defensive lineman Jarran Reed added two tackles of his own as well.

Nehemiah Pritchett — a Jackson native who played at Auburn — rotated in on special teams but was a key piece of the team this season.

Robbie Ouzts, who played tight end at Alabama but has moved to fullback, was inactive for the game but played in numerous contests for the team this year, and his quarterback Jalen Milroe was their third string this year as well.

It’s safe to say the state of Alabama had a ton to be proud of on Sunday night.

The Yellowhammer State is going to be very well represented in Santa Clara this Sunday when Super Bowl LX kicks off between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

Both teams feature several stars from both the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Auburn Tigers, with a grand total of ten being former Iron Bowl standouts.

As for Alabama, three former players appear on the Patriots roster, the most prominent being defensive lineman Christian Barmore, who has become one of the best in football. Linebacker Anfernee Jennings also appears in a rotational role, while tight end CJ Dippre appeared in two games for the team this year.

Former Auburn standout cornerback Carlton Davis III plays a huge role in the New England defense, starting in a secondary which has been a huge part of getting the Patriots to this game.

As for the Seahawks, while Nehemiah Pritchett rotates in at cornerback, former Tigers superstar pass rusher Derick Hall has blossomed into a phenomenal player along a Seattle defensive line — a big reason they have made it to this stage.

In their secondary, former Alabama corner Josh Jobe has taken on a key role there, as has Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jarran Reed. Robbie Ouzts, who was a tight end at Alabama but has transitioned to fullback at the NFL level, has become a key part of the offense and has been active for most games this season, while Jalen Milroe has served as the team’s emergency third-string quarterback for most of the year as a rookie.

It should be a tremendous game on Sunday, and clearly Alabama and Auburn fans around the state have plenty of reason to tune in.

It sounds like new Auburn head coach Alex Golesh is feeling a little unsure about the Tigers’ O-line.

In a refreshingly honest press conference answer, Golesh said he is feeling extremely confident about some groups, but when it comes to the offensive line, he thinks it may be a process there.

https://x.com/NextRoundLive/status/2019191740805091452

“This offensive line, on paper, you feel really, really good about it. We had to go get immediate production — guys who have played at a high level,” Golesh said, adding that there are more than 10 players in the room who believe they have a legitimate chance to start on a unit filled with new faces.

Ultimately though, Golesh is realistic in saying he knows it’s not going to come together right away.

“To tell you, man, I know we’re going to be elite at certain spots. I’d be lying to you,” he said. “I can tell you I’ve been praying about it a lot and I’m gonna continue to pray. If there’s one position I’m praying about, it’s the O-line. So if anyone wants to join me, have it. But there’s praying about it and there’s going to work.”

By the sounds of it, Golesh is cautiously optimistic about a group that has not been good enough for the Tigers in recent years, but refreshingly, he knows that it takes success from the line to have success as an offense.

It might not happen right away for Golesh on The Plains, but it certainly seems that Auburn hired the right man for the job.

The Auburn Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide are set to square off Saturday afternoon on The Plains for their first basketball matchup of the season and a renewal of one of the best rivalries in the sport.

While neither team is having quite the season they may have hoped for, that has not stopped the anticipation for the game. In a video shared to X, Auburn students are seen setting up their tents to sleep outside the arena to make sure they secure their spot in the venue for what will be a phenomenal game,

https://x.com/norene_gunner10/status/2019431083696431596

This is not the first time Auburn fans have camped out before a big game, with fans sleeping in tents for days last year ahead of their huge matchup with eventual national champion Florida.

Both the Tide and Tigers are currently not ranked in the AP Top-25, but with things so tight in the conference standings, this is an absolutely huge result in the race for an SEC title. Each sit at 5-4 in SEC play, two games behind leaders Texas A&M and Florida, so in order to keep pace, a win is critical.

Things tip off Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. CST in Neville Arena.

Count former Auburn Tigers head coach Bruce Pearl among those who have a problem with Alabama playing former G-Leaguer Charles Bediako in their lineup over the last couple of weeks.

During an appearance with Dan Dakich of OutKick, Pearl was asked directly if Alabama should face a tournament ban for bringing back their former standout center to the team after two years in the NBA’s minor league system, and while he did not outright call for it, he did say it should be considered.

https://x.com/outkick/status/2017628946729488427?s=46

“I think they should consider it, I think it’s something that should be talked about,” Pearl said. “This has nothing to do with Auburn and Alabama’s rivalry.”

Pearl went on to cite the fact that he was fired at Tennessee after an NCAA investigation revealed he was not being truthful in regards to hosting recruits for a barbecue at his home, something that obviously would not even be a violation in today’s day and age of college sports.

In his mind, Pearl believes that had he taken the NCAA to court, he may have been successful. Instead, he accepted the findings from the governing body of collegiate athletics, meanwhile Alabama and Bediako have obviously made this a legal matter.

Of course, this absurd comparison from Pearl completely ignores the fact that it’s a different time in college sports, and things that were major infractions previously are no longer punishable.

“The NCAA said no he’s not eligible,” Pearl said. “So when we don’t like the ruling, what do we do? We go to court and we get an injunction.”

It should be noted that through the temporary restraining order that’s allowing Bediako to play, Alabama is not supposed to face any punishment, even if he were to lose his hearing this week determining his eligibility for the remainder of the season.

Pearl does make an interesting point however, arguing that the only way to get the endless series of litigation and nonsense to end in college sports is to take a stand and make an example out of someone.

However, as former European pros litter the nation across numerous teams, the argument from Nate Oats and Alabama is clear: Bediako should not be seen differently.

Of course, this ironically would lead to even more litigation as Alabama would vigorously fight any punishment, and the cycle would continue.

After a delay last week, Bediako’s hearing is set to be held this Friday, one day before the Crimson Tide takes a trip to Neville Arena to face Auburn. Whether the big man is on the court or not remains to be seen, but Pearl has certainly made his stance on the matter clear.

Despite his insistence, it’s hard to see how Pearl’s rivalry with Alabama doesn’t weigh in on his take here.

Former Auburn Tigers head coach Gus Malzahn is hanging up the whistle.

After 35 years in coaching, the current Florida State Seminoles offensive coordinator announced his retirement on Monday morning via social media, saying that it’s simply time for him to step away from coaching.

https://x.com/CoachGusMalzahn/status/2018337384044098003

Malzahn took the time to thank his family, administrators, assistant coaches and of course, former players that made his career as distinguished as it was, telling fans he is going to spend more time with his family and “focus on what the Lord is calling me to do next.”

The veteran coach returned to The Plains as head coach back in 2013 after serving as offensive coordinator under Gene Chizik from from 2009-2011, before taking the head job at Arkansas State in 2012. During his lone season in Jonesboro, Malzahn led the Red Wolves to a 9-3 record before bringing Auburn right back to the national title game in his first year as head coach.

Posting an overall record of 68–35 during his time leading the Tigers, he was relieved of his duties after the 2020 season and became the head coach at Central Florida. In four seasons with UCF, Malzahn led the Knights to a 28-24 record before eventually arriving in Tallahassee with Florida State.

Now, he steps into his next chapter of retirement as Auburn tries to get back to the level of success they enjoyed during his tenure, hiring their third head coach this offseason since parting ways with Malzahn.

Auburn head coach Alex Golesh is going through his first offseason on The Plains and he has some choice words to say about it.

Now, Golesh — and any head coach just starting out at the highest level — faces additional challenges unique to today’s day and age.

Just about every coach in America is dealing with “tampering,” meaning opposing coaches calling players on their roster to entice them to enter the portal with huge offers.

While technically illegal, the NCAA has no ability to enforce rules anymore in this Wild West landscape, and coaches do anything to gain an advantage.

During Senior Bowl week in Mobile, Golesh talked about the impact of tampering and how he avoids getting worked up over other coaches breaking the rules.

https://x.com/NextRoundLive/status/2016884277967724800

“It’s been going on for a really long time, the portal era has only amplified it,” Golesh began. “There eventually needs to be guardrails on this thing, I think we all want to know the rules you can operate in, the truth is right now, there aren’t any. So you operate ethically with what you feel like is right.”

“Is it right to call a kid that’s on somebody else’s roster to go get him? It’s not. I think, in a lot of ways, what goes around comes around. In the fall you gotta go line up and play. I’m a strong believer in the football gods will find you at some point and generally they’ll find you at the end of a game or they’ll find you on fourth and one and I think you gotta do things the right way, and the right way is doing right by the young people.”

He added how real the pressure to win is and that he won’t judge other coaches for how they do it, but it seems clear that Golesh is going to run his program his way.

Needless to say, Auburn has a special coach at the helm in Golesh, and he is going to try to get the Tigers back to prominence while doing things his own way.