Where Auburn, Alabama sit in latest AP Poll + ESPN’s bracketology projections
Reading time: 3 minutes
With less than three weeks to go before Selection Sunday, both Alabama and Auburn are looking to make final impressions on the NCAA Tournament selection committee.
While consecutive losses made Alabama drop in the rankings, both teams already have some of the strongest resumes in the entire country. And that’s why ESPN’s latest bracketology still has the Tigers and the Crimson Tide as one seeds.
Keep reading to see more about the latest bracket projections + where the two teams sit in the rankings with four games remaining in the regular season.
ESPN’s Bracketology
According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, both Alabama and Auburn currently sit on the 1-seed line. The two teams’ quality wins and strength of schedule, both in and out of conference play, have nearly cemented themselves into the top line.
While Auburn is almost assuredly a lock for a top seed, a strong finish in the regular season and SEC Tournament would certainly clinch the No. 1 overall seed for the first time in school history. The Tigers have previously been a 1 seed just once in program history (1999).
Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide are the more likely team to fall to the 2 seed. This Saturday’s game in Knoxville (3PM, ESPN) could go a long way in determining whether Tennessee or Alabama end up with a top seed.
Jacksonville State was also featured in the latest bracketology update, taking a 13 seed with an automatic bid from Conference USA. The Gamecocks currently sit on top of the Conference USA standings + are searching for their third ever trip to the Division I tournament.
Check out the full bracketology on ESPN’s website + keep up with updates every Tuesday and Friday leading up to the postseason.
Top 25
There’s no doubt the team has bigger goals this season but Auburn has now been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll for the seventh consecutive week, extending a program record.
The Tigers got all 60 first-place votes in the AP Poll + got 28 of 30 first-place votes to take the top spot in USA Today’s Coaches Poll. Based on this week’s rankings, Auburn’s season (so far) has included wins over:
- No. 4 Houston
- No. 5 Tennessee
- No. 6 Alabama
- No. 9 Iowa State
- No. 14 Missouri
- No. 20 Purdue
- No. 24 Mississippi State
Auburn’s two losses this season are to No. 2 Duke + No. 3 Florida.
Alabama fell two spots in both polls to sixth after a midweek loss at Missouri. The Crimson Tide did bounce back by finishing off a regular season sweep of Kentucky.
The Crimson Tide’s remaining schedule includes four ranked teams including three games against teams ranked in the top 5. Alabama will make the trip to take on Auburn to wrap up the regular season on March 8.
Which team do you think goes further in the NCAA Tournament this season? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, Facebook + LinkedIn.
