Florida is positioned to potentially rise to No. 2, while Auburn could tighten its grip at No. 1
• 6 min read
A big shakeup is imminent near the top of the AP Top 25 poll Monday after No. 1 Auburn won decisively over No. 2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa over the weekend and No. 5 Tennessee succumbed to No. 15 Kentucky for the second time this season. No. 3 Florida appears primed to be among the biggest beneficiaries of that mayhem with a bump to No. 2 in my projections for Monday’s poll in the latest edition of Tomorrow’s Top 25 Today, wherein I forecast how I think voters will formulate their ballots based off the week’s results.
The rise to No. 2 — one week after being tied with Duke at No. 3 — would mark the highest spot for the Gators in the AP poll since 2013-14, when it finished the final four weeks at No. 1 before falling to eventual national champion UConn in the Final Four. Florida improved to 22-3 on the season with wins over Mississippi State and South Carolina this week, which came on the heels of downing No. 1 Auburn — UF’s second win over a No. 1-ranked team this season — the week prior.
At the top of the poll Monday will once again be Auburn, which retained its spot at No. 1 last week despite the Florida loss, though how tight its grip on the spot will be of most interest. Auburn’s run as the unanimous No. 1 ended last week at three weeks and it split first-place votes with three other teams, but its statement win over a rival this weekend should buy it back some believers. With Duke and Florida likely to be in contention for the No. 2 spot, Auburn appears the obvious choice at No. 1, and a taking back of unanimous status could be in the cards.
Below is how I project the poll to shake out Monday.
Projected to drop out: Illinois
