The SEC is a gauntlet this year, but one stat shows that Auburn is still heads above everyone else

If you play in the SEC this year, make sure to keep your head on a swivel. You never know who's lurking in the shadows, ready to spring an upset. Don't welcome Ole Miss into your home arena if you can help it, and try to avoid Auburn at all costs.

We all know the conference is basically an obstacle course where every obstacle is basically a giant knife swinging directly at your head, but even wihin the gauntlet, the Auburn Tigers are standing out.

After Missouri beat Florida and entered the top 30 in NET, Bruce Pearl's Auburn team now has nine Quad 1 wins, two more than any other team in the country, according to Blake Lovell on Twitter / X.

Auburn is a giant in a conference full of Goliaths

First in NET, first in Kenpom, first in the AP Poll, first in the SEC; the Tigers don't have many weaknesses.

They win on average by over 20 points per game, possess the biggest assist differential in the country, score over 80 points in pretty much every game they play and have a POY candidate in Johni Broome. That's a team with all the makings of a Final Four run. Don't pen them in yet... pencil is probably okay, though.

Still... a conference championship isn't a given for the Tigers.

Kentucky win against Texas A&M on Tuesday gave them seven Quad 1 wins for the year, which is third-most in college hoops. Auburn isn't running away with the conference — despite being the best team in college basketball. Mark Pope's honeymoon phase didn't end when conference play started, as his Wildcats have grabbed three impressive conference victories in four tries.

Alabama's loss to Ole Miss shouldn't sour you on the Tide, either; that loss was more "impressive Ole Miss showing" than anything else. The Rebels aren't going to just play spoiler this season; they want to win the whole damn thing.

Everyone is chasing Auburn in the SEC... but everyone is really fast.