8. Auburn Tigers
Last Week: No. 7
A preseason top-10 team in the nation, Auburn has done nothing to warrant dropping down the rankings so far this season. With only one loss (to Duke) and a few quality wins, the Tigers have played to expectations so far this season and more than belong near the top of the SEC projections for this coming season. Seriously, what head coach Bruce Pearl has been able to do with this program in such a short period of time is incredible.
With Bryce Brown (18.0 points) and Jared Harper (14.6 points, 6.8 assists) leading the way, Auburn has two of the most consistent guards in the country pacing their offensive play. Additionally, the Tigers have a ton of depth on the wings and in the frontcourt, something that not many teams have. Because of this, Auburn should be able to match up well with just about any team in the nation. They simply get it done on both ends of the floor.
If there is one criticism regarding Auburn, though, it is that they lack a top-tier win at this point in the year. They have played a reasonably challenging schedule but their only top-25 matchup came against Duke in the Maui Invitation. So, having said this, their best wins have come over Xavier and Arizona, two unranked teams, at that same tournament. Looking ahead, though, the Tigers will have plenty of opportunities in SEC play to show just how talented they are.