Florida @ Auburn Game Overview

On top of that, five others in the 16-team league have been ranked at some point this season.

But somehow Auburn (21-1, 9-0) still has a clean SEC slate. The Tigers' 15-game league winning streak dates to last season and includes three wins in the conference tournament.

Auburn will face another SEC challenge on Saturday afternoon when it hosts No. 6 Florida (19-3, 6-3).

The Gators know the drill. A month ago, they toppled another top-ranked SEC team, stunning then-undefeated Tennessee 73-43.

As Florida prepares for this matchup with Auburn, which has won 14 games in a row overall this season, the status of perhaps its most vital player is uncertain.

Walter Clayton Jr., who averages team highs in points (17.4) and assists (3.8), sat out the Gators' 86-75 win Tuesday over Vanderbilt with an ankle injury.

"Obviously, we would always prefer him out there," Florida coach Todd Golden said. "But we have a lot of season left."

The value of the team's point guard was demonstrated last Saturday when Florida lost its rematch with Tennessee, 64-44.

With Clayton scoring 10 points in the first 14 minutes, he helped put Florida up 15-14. But after Clayton rolled his ankle and was limited the rest of the way, the Volunteers outscored the Gators 50-29.

In Florida's victory over Vanderbilt, Denzel Aberdeen replaced Clayton, providing 13 points, three assists and no turnovers, doing "an incredible job controlling the game," Golden said.

Will Richard bounced back from a season-low two-point performance against Tennessee, in which he took just two shots, to record 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field vs. Vanderbilt.

Auburn enters in high gear behind Johni Broome, who leads the Tigers in points (18.1), rebounds (10.9) and blocks (2.8) per game.

The 6-foot-10 Broome epitomizes a team that has extraordinary quickness and length. Broome pairs with 6-11 Dylan Cardwell in an imposing frontcourt as Auburn averages 7 blocks per game, which is the most in the nation.

And then there is the lethal Auburn offense. Not only do the Tigers lead the country in offensive efficiency, their current rating (130.5) is the highest in the 24-year history of the college basketball analytics site KenPom.com.

"Our offensive efficiency numbers are what they are," Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. "We've got inside, outside and the fact that we will guard. Those two things together, I think, are why we're the No. 1 team in the country."

Helping fuel the offense are perimeter threats Miles Kelly, Denver Jones and Tahaad Pettiford. Each has hit at least 41 triples this season, with at least 40 percent marksmanship from deep.

Even with the success so far, Pearl is wary of the land mines ahead in the SEC, including Saturday against Florida.

"We're gonna get beat. It's coming up," said Pearl, who added that Florida is the "most physical team in our league."

"Todd Golden was my assistant. He played point guard for me in 2009 on the USA Maccabi team," Pearl added. "I'm not sure he has to shave but once a week. But his teams play hard, tough and physical."

--Field Level Media