A statistical look at No. 1 Auburn after its thrilling win over No. 6 Tennessee

It was a day full of excitement surrounding the nation’s number one team as students and fans piled into Neville Arena for ESPN’s College GameDay and a top-10 showdown that came down to the wire, with the Tigers narrowly escaping 53-51. 

It was mostly an uncharacteristic night for the Tigers, particularly on the offensive end, as they went for a season-low 53 points on just a 31% clip from the field, only knocking down three 3-pointers along the way – though it was Miles Kelly’s late game heroics from behind-the-arc that boosted the Tigers across the finish line. 

It was a physical, ugly, rock-fight until the end in front of a raucous sold-out Tiger crowd. It was the most efficient offense in the nation versus a smothering defense that defends the 3-point line better than anyone else in the country. There were more fouls committed in the first half than field goals made. There were loose balls and bodies flying all over the place. It was a daunting challenge for both squads, to say the least, and it took a team with grit and tenacity to come out on top. 

And that they did. 

The top-ranked Tigers continue to claw their way to the end of games and find a way to win. It’s what good teams do, and Auburn is a good team. 

Here is a statistical look into the Tigers after their exhilarating triumph over the Vols on Saturday night: 

• Auburn now sits at 18-1 on the season, its lone loss coming on the road to No. 2 Duke by six points. That’s the best start since the 2022-23 season in which the Tigers started 22-1. 
• Auburn has defeated three-straight ranked opponents, recording seven wins against ranked teams this season – the previous record being six wins in the 2018-19 season. Four of those seven have come against top-10 opponents, with only one of those four coming at home. 
• The last time Auburn defeated three-straight ranked opponents was during its 2019 NCAA Tournament run – Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky 
• The Tigers are on an SEC-best 11-game winning streak, the fifth-longest in the country behind Duke (13), Michigan State (12), Houston (12) and Cleveland State (12), and remain as the only undefeated team in the SEC with the second-longest conference winning streak in the nation. It’s the fourth time in the last eight seasons that the Tigers remain as the last undefeated team in SEC play.
• Auburn has recorded 11 Quad I wins after taking down the Volunteers with an opportunity at nine more, as things stand right now. Auburn has already broken its record for most Quad I wins in a season. UCONN has the most Quad I wins recorded since the 2019 season with 18 a year ago. Obviously, the Tigers have a chance to beat that feat as things stand today.