So, March Madness is pullin’ up with more hot takes, hype, and energy. The race for the NCAA championship is wide open for powerhouse teams like Bruce Pearl’s Auburn Tigers, Jon Scheyer’s Duke, and Nate Oats’ Alabama all gearing up for a deep tournament run.

With just about six games left before the postseason, the intensity and heartbreaks are heating up! Duke saw its impressive 16-game winning streak come to a crashing halt against Clemson, ending its hopes of an undefeated ACC run. Meanwhile, Auburn’s dominant 14-game streak was snapped by Florida!

This just proves that in college basketball, there are no guaranteed winners! Auburn and Duke will still enter March Madness as favorites, especially with National Player of the Year contenders Cooper Flagg and Johni Broome leading the charge for their respective teams. But the real question is, are there any other teams capable of dethroning them to the championship?

Well, John Fanta has made his pick! While breaking down the top contenders for the NCAA championship on The Field of 68: After Dark, Fanta threw in a surprise name, the Florida Gators and he gave his reasons for it!

He says, ” They have All Americans, Walter Clayton being the main one, he’s absolutely fantastic. When Alijah Martin is healthy they make up one of the best duos that you are going to find. They might just get Micah Handlogten back and with the length he can combine with Alex Condon on, Will Richard is a shot maker. This team is just outstanding.” 

Gators happen to be the only team other than Duke to have a win against Auburn the best team in the country this season! Walter Clayton Jr. dropped 19 points, while Alex Condon added 17, as No. 6 Florida stormed back from a 10-point deficit to take down Auburn 90-81.  Walter Clayton Jr and Alex Condon along with Alijah Martin have been the best players for Todd Golden‘s side and they for sure will be a threat to many teams this off-season!

Bruce Pearl knows the mission isn’t over yet! With six games left in the regular season, anything can happen. Auburn will need to stay locked in if they want to hold onto their top spot heading into March Madness. Let’s take a look at their upcoming matchups as they fight to stay on top!

What’s next for Bruce Pearl and Co.?

The Tigers are sitting at the top of the college basketball world, dominating the toughest conference in the nation! With an impressive 11-1 record in the  SEC and a stellar 23-2 overall record, Auburn has firmly established itself as the team to beat this season!

But their losses this season show that there are teams who can still beat them on their good days. Duke and Florida are teams that are expected to make deep runs in the NCAA tournament this season and Bruce Pearl knows it’s up to him to keep the focus high among the players and not let complacency creep in!

With just six games left in the regular season, Auburn faces a tough road ahead, including four ranked teams in their final stretch, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and Alabama. But for now, Bruce Pearl and the Tigers are focused on taking down Coach Cal’s Arkansas team on February 20th at Neville Arena.

Arkansas is riding a wave of confidence, winning 3 of their last 5 games, but Auburn is still the heavy favorite with ESPN giving them a 92% chance of victory. As Bruce Pearl looks to make a statement by beating John Calipari he knows his team will need to keep a close eye on the junior Razorback forward Adou Theiro who is averaging  15.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, shooting 55.7% from the field.

Auburn is fully aware of the tough road ahead, with crucial games against ranked teams that will test their championship credentials. With Florida now joining Duke as the third contender for the championship according to John Fanta, Bruce Pearl knows the job ahead is far from done!