Gators Stay Put in Bracketology Projections Despite Big Auburn Win

The Florida Gators' latest series of big wins has yet to show changes in their tournament projections.

According to ESPN’s Bracketology, the Gators are still the No. 2 seed heading to Cleveland to start the tournament. Their current projection has them taking on the No. 15 seed Towson Tigers. They would be an automatic qualifying team for winning the Coastal (formerly Colonial) Athletic Association. They would start in the East Region (Newark).

Bleacher Report’s Bracketology also has them going to Cleveland. However, they would take on No. 15 Norfolk State and start in the West Region (San Francisco). The Spartans would be the automatic qualifier from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

The AP Top 25 justified moving them up to the No. 3 spot in the country, but the projections aren't quite convinced yet.

For the record, this projection does not include the dominant win over Mississippi State on Tuesday night. Maybe would have shaken things up a bit further. If the Gators continue to roll into the weekend and take down South Carolina, it could increase the discussion for making them a No. 1 seed.

The matchup between Auburn and Alabama, being a No. 1 vs No. 2 could help depending on how it plays out. If one of the teams gets blown out, then Florida has a better chance of moving up. If it’s a tight game between two games that play well, then Florida will have to wait for Duke or Tennessee to make a mistake.

But the Gators also play Alabama in Tuscaloosa March 5. So, even if they can’t rely on other teams losing ahead of then, they have a chance to get into the driver’s seat.

Speaking of Tennessee, that payback game by the Vols might be coming back to haunt them a little bit now, even if the Gators are ranked higher than them in the AP Poll by two spots.

The Gators host the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday. Tip off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. EST.