Every Wednesday we present “Across the SEC,” where we break down the biggest matchups of the previous week, preview the coming week’s slate, and talk about where things stand in the best conference in the land.
In this week’s edition, Alabama has firmly taken control of the SEC West, while Georgia is finally starting to look like the No. 1 team in the country. Are we bound for an epic matchup in Atlanta between the two powerhouses in the SEC Championship?
Things felt different in the preseason in the SEC. For the first time in a very long time, many thought the LSU Tigers were the team to beat in the SEC West. And while LSU is not out of it, the Bayou Bengals do not look like a team capable of competing for an SEC Title six games into the season.
Of course, nobody struggled in giving the two-time defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs the benefit of the doubt when it came to predicting the SEC East. And why would they?
Sure, Georgia was replacing a quarterback and numerous pieces on the defense. But looking at the Dawgs’ schedule, nobody really thought they would be challenged until a game in Knoxville, which, by the way things look now, may end up not being a challenge at all.
Tennessee still looms with just one loss, but the Vols face a tough matchup this week against Texas A&M, not to mention a trip to Tuscaloosa next week. It is entirely likely that by the time Tennessee gets a shot at Georgia, the Vols will have two losses.
Though Georgia had not quite looked the part five games in after sluggish performances in its cupcake games and a struggle win at Auburn, it certainly looked every bit of the No. 1 team in the nation against Kentucky last Saturday.
And while Alabama will still have to conquer LSU to win the West, the way the Tigers defense has looked thus far, makes it a very good matchup for Alabama in a game that will be played in Tuscaloosa.
It has been a process for Alabama and Georgia, but both teams are starting to hit their stride at the right time.
In a season where teams in other conferences are performing exceedingly well, an SEC Championship game could very well be the decider in who gets a playoff spot. There’s still a lot of season left, but we could be on a collision course for another legendary chapter in the ongoing saga between Nick Saban and Kirby Smart.
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