2. Who’s currently the most overrated team in the country?
Bennett
For me it’s Auburn. Pair a very weak non-conference schedule with recent blowout losses to Alabama and Florida, who was handled easily by Baylor in Gainesville Saturday, and the Tigers have not proven much to me this season. Their best win came against an underperforming Georgia team at home while also squeaking by a bad Iowa State squad at home on Saturday. Until they prove more, don’t trust the Tigers in March.
Adler
I’ll go with Memphis, based on the crazy hype surrounding the Tigers entering the 2019-20 stanza. Buoyed by an extremely talented 2019 recruiting class and second-year head coach Penny Hardaway, many pundits slotted Memphis in the top 10 or top 15 of their preseason rankings, with the Tigers getting some love as a Final Four contender. Now, losing freshman sensation James Wiseman stings, as the center is a possible No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
But Memphis still has loads of promise, and it’s proven a roller-coaster ride of late. Yes, the Tigers have notched wins versus Cincinnati, N.C. State and Tennessee, although Memphis has recorded five setbacks, to Oregon, Georgia, Wichita State, Tulsa, and SMU. This past week alone, the Tigers got blasted at Tulsa, 80-40, and then Memphis fell at home to SMU. The Tigers undeniably will drop from the top-25 polls, they have an uphill climb to compete for an American Athletic Conference regular-season crown, and it’s no guarantee that Memphis will hear its name called on Selection Sunday. That’s quite a shift from where the Tigers sat at this campaign’s beginning.
Wilkerson
There was a time about a month ago where many, including myself, thought the SEC was Auburn and then everyone else. The Tigers started 15-0 but have since shown some alarming vulnerability that has raised some questions about where they truly stand. Auburn has talent, there’s no doubt about it. However, time is starting to suggest that they do not have the firepower, especially from beyond the arc, that they did in last year’s magical run. They struggled mightily offensively in blowout road losses at Alabama and Florida and the remaining schedule is not easy. The Tigers have to face Alabama again, play Kentucky twice, and have other tough road trips to Arkansas and Tennessee.
Childs
Auburn. I know they dropped 12 spots and only have two losses but they have yet to beat anybody great and got whipped in the games they finally did.
Walton
This is an especially tough question with this being such a wide-open season. I will half reluctantly go with Rutgers here. The Scarlet Knights are No. 25 in the AP poll as a result of the most success they’ve had in quite some time. But so far their biggest wins on the season are home victories over Seton Hall and Wisconsin. If they were able to pick up a road win over Illinois or Iowa, I may have felt differently but as of now, I still want Rutgers to “prove it.”