Auburn Slips One Spot to No. 24 in ESPN FPI After Florida Loss

Despite falling 44-39 to Florida, Auburn dropped just one place in the latest ESPN FPI rankings ahead of Saturday's home game against Vanderbilt.

Auburn fell to No. 24 in the latest ESPN Football Power Index after a 44-39 loss to Florida at Jordan-Hare Stadium, the Tigers' first defeat of the season. The drop was minimal: Auburn slipped just one spot from No. 23, with its FPI moving from 14.2 to 12.9. Florida, now 3-0, also dropped one place and sits at No. 16.

The SEC remains well represented with 11 teams in the FPI top 25. Mississippi State climbed from No. 27 to No. 22, while South Carolina and Missouri each fell six spots to No. 27 and No. 32. Kentucky did not crack the top 25 but made a big jump, rising 15 places from No. 51 to No. 36.

The loss made Auburn's path to bowl eligibility harder, but the FPI still gives the Tigers a 71.4% chance of reaching six wins, with a projected record of 6.4-5.6. Auburn is favored against Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and Samford the rest of the way, meaning it would need at least one more win against a team it is currently projected to lose to.

Auburn hosts Vanderbilt on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium in its last home game for several weeks. The Commodores arrive 3-0 after a wild finish against NC State, and Auburn has lost the last two meetings, including a 45-38 overtime defeat in Nashville last season. The ESPN Matchup Predictor gives Auburn a 74.9% chance to win under coach Alex Golesh.