Following a season where Auburn's strength of schedule was ranked 114th in the nation, head coach Bruce Pearl is looking to add quality opponents to the Tigers' non-conference schedule by adding Texas Tech, Colorado and Middle Tennessee State to the slate.
After sending only three teams to the NCAA basketball tournament last season, questions have begun to arise regarding the strength of the SEC as a whole.
In the final Rating Percentage Index (RPI) rankings, one of the instruments used by the NCAA Selection Committee, only two SEC teams (Florida and Kentucky) finished in the Top 25.
On the other hand, six SEC teams fell outside of the Top 100, including Auburn.
In an attempt to raise Auburn's RPI, Bruce Pearl is trying to increase the quality of competition, and he believes scheduling top out-of-conference teams is possible.
"They're not afraid to play us," Pearl told reporters at a Tiger Trek stop in Atlanta. "They're interested in playing Auburn in the SEC because they think they've got a chance to beat us right now."
Last week, the SEC announced Auburn would face Texas Tech and head coach Tubby Smith in Lubbock, Texas in the 2014 SEC/Big 12 Challenge, a 10-game series matching SEC and Big 12 teams.
Pearl sees it as an opportunity both Auburn and the SEC as a whole.
"There are a handful of coaches that I would venture to say it would be an honor to coach against and Tubby Smith is one of them," Pearl said. "In order for the SEC to receive more bids to the NCAA tournament we have to be successful in events like these."
Pearl also revealed to reporters in Atlanta the most difficult non-conference matchup Auburn has finalized on schedule will be the first game of the season.
"It might interest you to know that we'll be playing at Colorado," Pearl said. "They're going to be pretty good."
Playing a projected top-25 team in Boulder, Colorado will be no small task, but Pearl understands the exposure that such a game will bring.
"It's our anticipation that we will play on the SEC Network on the first night of college basketball on the 14th," Pearl said. "It's our anticipation that we will play in ESPN's 24 hours of college basketball, and of course, that'll be on the road against a top-25 opponent."
Most recently, Auburn finalized a three-game deal with Middle Tennessee State, which includes games in Auburn in 2014, Nashville in 2015 and Birmingham in 2016.
"Therefore, being on the road and potentially being at neutral sites are putting your guys in harms way and building your RPI," Pearl told Alex Byington of the Opelika-Auburn News.
Given the program's struggles, Pearl also realizes the difficulty in convincing top teams to play at Auburn rather than start the series at their own gym.
"I'd like to bring at least one top-25 team to play us at home. It's hard to get people to start the series at home," Pearl said. "They're all willing to go on the road first, but there's a chance we can get a game."
Last season, the Tigers played 11 non-conference games, with only one true road game (at Iowa State) and one neutral game (vs. Illinois in Atlanta).
Pearl believes the tougher stance on scheduling can help the Tigers make progress.
"I don't know where this team can finish, ... and I can't control that, I can't control where we finish," Pearl told Byington. "But I can control where we schedule and we will not take the league down, we won't, as far as our schedule and RPI."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
