Fuel to the fire.
Auburn comes in at No. 2 in the latest AP Top 25 Poll after numerous outlets ranked Auburn as the best team in the country (ESPN’s bracketology done by Joe Lunadri, Andy Katz, Jon Rothstein, CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish, and others).
The Tigers received 36 first place votes. Gonzaga finished with 25, and yet the Zags still hold the top spot in the rankings, edging Auburn out 1486 points to 1482. Why, you ask?
There were two AP voters that put Auburn at No. 6 and No. 9: Jon Wilner and Jesse Newell. Might I note that while everyone is entitled to their opinion, Mr. Newell put three teams in front of Auburn that are currently ranked outside of the top 10. He ranked Kentucky at No. 7, Houston at No. 4, and *four loss Villanova* at No. 3. Those teams are ranked 12th, 10th, and 11th in the actual AP Poll. Here is Newell’s entire poll.
I respect that every voter can choose to vote however they wish, but Newell seems to be out of line with almost everyone who voted. His placement of Auburn at 9th cost the Tigers of their first ever No. 1 ranking.
May it also be noted that he has 11-6 Alabama at No. 18.
Here is the official AP Poll in its entirety.
1. Gonzaga, 14-2 (25)
2. Auburn, 16-1 (36)
3. Arizona, 14-1
4. Purdue, 14-2
5. Baylor, 15-2
6. Duke 14-2
7. Kansas, 14-2
8. Wisconsin, 14-2
9. UCLA, 11-2
10. Houston, 15-2
11. Villanova, 13-4
12. Kentucky, 14-3
13. LSU, 15-2
14. Michigan State, 14-3
15. Iowa State, 14-3
16. USC, 14-2
17. Illinois, 13-3
18. Texas Tech, 13-4
19. Ohio State, 11-4
20. Xavier, 13-3
21. Providence, 14-2
22. Loyola Chicago, 13-2
23. Texas, 13-4
24. Tennessee, 11-5
25. UConn, 11-4
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