Auburn is trying to break a long standing trend that defense wins championships in the SEC. History has shown that to win the SEC you have to have one of the top ranked defenses in the league. This is what has lofted Florida and Alabama to such high standings in the past few years but Auburn is going against the grain.
The Tigers lead the SEC in the current standings despite being ranked 9th in total defense in the SEC.
| Team | G | Pts/G | Yds/G |
| LSU | 7 | 14.4 | 242.1 |
| Alabama | 7 | 12.9 | 288 |
| Georgia | 7 | 17.4 | 290.1 |
| Florida | 7 | 18.7 | 297.9 |
| Arkansas | 6 | 23.3 | 330.3 |
| Mississippi St. | 7 | 16 | 332.9 |
| Mississippi | 6 | 31 | 355 |
| Kentucky | 7 | 29.9 | 361.9 |
| Auburn | 7 | 24.4 | 367.9 |
| South Carolina | 6 | 20.8 | 371 |
| Vanderbilt | 6 | 25.5 | 378.8 |
| Tennessee | 6 | 27.5 | 381 |