Overview
- Pearl said on TNT that if the NCAA picks the 68 “best” teams, Miami would need the MAC’s automatic bid because it is not one of the country’s best as an at‑large.
- Miami AD David Sayler called Pearl “flat out wrong” on X and criticized perceived Auburn bias after Pearl referenced “we” when discussing the Tigers.
- Miami is 29-0 with two regular-season games left, but its profile includes zero Quad 1 wins, one Quad 2 win, a NET around 49–51, KenPom in the mid‑80s, and a very weak nonconference schedule.
- The MAC has not received multiple NCAA bids since 1998–99, making the conference tournament the clearest path for Miami to secure an automatic berth.
- Pearl later denied nepotism as Auburn, coached by his son Steven, sits on the bubble with a 15-14 record and is being evaluated on multiple Quad 1 results.