The philosophy hasn’t changed—only the person leading it. Bruce Pearl spent years building Auburn’s identity around chasing big non-conference opponents, believing early-season challenges created teams built for March. Now it’s his son, Steven Pearl, stepping into the spotlight for the first time as head coach, and the Tigers haven’t moved away from that mentality.
That approach is on full display this week at the Players Era Festival. Auburn opens with undefeated Oregon and is locked into a second game with Michigan—two early tests that fit perfectly with the standard this program has embraced. And the rest of the field is just as loaded.