Auburn begins 2025-26 season in top 20 of AP Poll

Auburn Tigers assistant coach Steven Pearl talks with his team as Auburn Tigers take on Georgia Bulldogs at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. Auburn Tigers defeated Georgia Bulldogs 82-70.
Auburn Tigers assistant coach Steven Pearl talks with his team as Auburn Tigers take on Georgia Bulldogs at Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. Auburn Tigers defeated Georgia Bulldogs 82-70. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Auburn basketball starts a new era in the 2025-26 season as Steven Pearl takes over the reins of the program after his father, Bruce, resigned following 11 years on the Plains.

The Tigers' roster was almost completely overhauled following a SEC regular-season title and trip to the Final Four last season, with Tahaad Pettiford being the only key returnee for Auburn. That doesn't mean the Tigers can't compete for more titles, and with the AP Preseason Poll dropping on Monday, Pearl's squad comes in at No. 20.

Auburn is one of six SEC teams that start in the top 25, with defending national champion Florida leading the way at No. 3. In his second season in Lexington, Mark Pope has Kentucky at No. 8 in the poll, while John Calipari's Arkansas Razorbacks come in at No. 14, followed by Alabama at No. 15.

Tennessee, in Rick Barnes' 12th season in Knoxville, starts the season at No. 18.

Texas (35), Ole Miss (11), Missouri (8), Vanderbilt (7), Mississippi St. (3), and Oklahoma (1) also received votes in the preseason poll.

Auburn will battle preseason No. 1 Purdue on December 20 in Indianapolis.

Here is the complete preseason AP Poll:

1. Purdue
2. Houston
3. Florida
4. UConn
5. St. John's
6. Duke
7. Michigan
8. BYU
9. Kentucky
10. Texas Tech
11. Louisville
12. UCLA
13. Arizona
14. Arkansas
15. Alabama
16. Iowa St.
17. Illinois
18. Tennessee
19. Kansas
20. Auburn
21. Gonzaga
22. Michigan St.
23. Creighton
24. Wisconsin
25. UNC

Other Receiving Votes

NC State 101, Oregon 98, San Diego St. 74, Texas 35, Ohio St. 23, Kansas St 13, Mississippi 11, Southern Cal 10, Missouri 8, Washington 7, Vanderbilt 7, Iowa 6, Boise St. 4, Mississippi St. 3, VCU 2, Virginia 2, Saint Mary's 2, Indiana 1, Oklahoma 1, Baylor 1.

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