Auburn Tigers Fall Out of AP Top 25 After Oklahoma Loss

Auburn Tigers' Brief Return to the AP Top 25 Ends with a Loss

The Auburn Tigers made a brief return to the AP Top 25 rankings after a four-year absence, but their stay was short-lived. Following a 24-17 loss to Oklahoma on Saturday, the Tigers fell out of the rankings. Last week, they had climbed to No. 22, moving up two spots. Their return to the poll came in week three when they claimed the No. 24 position. Oklahoma, which entered the game ranked No. 11, moved up to No. 7 after securing a home victory over Auburn.

Auburn now faces an opportunity to bounce back next Saturday when they travel to face another top-25 team, Texas A&M. However, the team will need to regroup and develop a more effective strategy during practice before their next chance arrives.

What Caused the Drop?

Auburn’s drop from the AP Top 25 followed a tough loss to then-No. 11 Oklahoma, who now has a perfect 4-0 record. While the defense put in a strong performance, the offense struggled throughout the game. The lack of a traditional running game and issues within the offensive line were significant factors. The offensive line allowed 10 sacks and committed 13 penalties, which proved costly in the final moments of the game.

With the Tigers down 22-17, penalties and sacks led to a safety, ultimately sealing their loss and dropping their record to 3-1. Quarterback Jackson Arnold returned to Oklahoma and had a solid performance, completing 21 of 32 passes for 220 yards and one touchdown. He connected with Cam Coleman three times for 88 yards and one touchdown. The game was also marked by some controversial officiating decisions.

Path to Reentry into the AP Top 25

Despite falling out of the rankings, Auburn still received 122 votes, the most of any team outside the AP Top 25. The team will have another major road SEC game this Saturday when they take on No. 9 Texas A&M. The Aggies were off this week, but they previously defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in dramatic fashion.

Auburn's defense will be tested once again against a dual-threat quarterback in Marcel Reed, who is a capable passer and even more elusive as a runner than his predecessor, John Mateer. The Tigers will also look to address their offensive line issues this week. Since Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2012, Auburn has had success in College Station. A win in Texas would likely see the Tigers return to the AP Top 25.

SEC Teams in the New AP Top 25

The latest AP Top 25 features ten SEC teams. LSU remains the highest-ranked team from the conference, holding onto the No. 4 spot. Georgia follows closely behind at No. 5. Oklahoma's win over Auburn helped them climb four spots from No. 11 to No. 7.

Ole Miss and Tennessee maintained their positions at No. 13 and No. 15, respectively. Alabama dropped three spots from No. 14 to No. 17 despite not playing this weekend. They will face Georgia in week five. The remaining SEC teams in the rankings include Vanderbilt at No. 18 and Missouri at No. 20.