Auburn retaining No. 1 in AP Top 25 doesn’t mean Bruce Pearl’s Tigers are safe there

Even after a home loss to Florida, Auburn remains the No. 1 team in the latest men's college basketball AP Top 25 poll. This speaks to how dominant head coach Bruce Pearl's Tigers have been this season. However, the SEC powerhouse's upcoming schedule puts them in jeopardy of ceding their spot atop the rankings.

Falling short against the now-No. 3-ranked Gators ostensibly wasn't consequential enough for voters to place another team above Auburn. Considering Florida is a formidable foe, that's reasonable. But the sledding doesn't get any easier for the Tigers moving forward, who will face Vanderbilt and No. 2 Alabama on the road next.

Auburn avoids drop in AP Top 25, but matchups with Vanderbilt and Alabama loom large

Vanderbilt is unranked, but they're no slouch of an opponent. The 17-6 Commodores are one of the nation's top-scoring programs, averaging 81.1 points per game. Moreover, they pulled off upset victories over top-25 schools like No. 5 Tennessee and No. 15 Kentucky, highlighting how dangerous Mark Byington's squad can be.

Auburn shouldn't take Vandy lightly, especially at Memorial Gymnasium, where they're 12-1 this year. Even if the Tigers prevail, the Crimson Tide are next on tap. They must quickly regroup and travel to Tuscaloosa to go toe-to-toe with a high-powered Alabama offense led by fifth-year senior guard Mark Sears.

Alabama is a juggernaut and will be eager to dethrone its conference rival in a pivotal late-season showdown. In the most recent poll, the Crimson Tide received more total voting points than Auburn and is inching closer to the Tigers in the standings.

Yet, somehow, Auburn's schedule doesn't quite let up following their high-stakes clash with Alabama. The Tigers then host Arkansas, Georgia and No. 19 Ole Miss before a duel with Kentucky at Rupp Arena. Afterward, they have a contest at No. 8 Texas A&M ahead of a regular-season finale rematch with Alabama.

Needless to say, Auburn must keep its foot on the gas and play with urgency. Otherwise, Alabama and others will be gunning for them. Fortunately for the Tigers, they're led by experienced upperclassmen like Johni Broome, Chad Baker-Mazara and Miles Kelly who can set the tone.