Georgia Football: What does the SEC East look like after week 9?

Georgia football took on the Florida Gators on Saturday. The game had significant implications not only in the playoff race but also in the SEC East race. All offseason, many thought Georgia was the clear favorite to win the East. Many believed they would run away with it. But as it turns out, the Dawgs’ next three games will decide if they win the East. This is why we all love college football. As of writing this at 12:30 a.m. EST, I am exhausted! What exactly have I done today other than watch football? Nothing. But this is what Saturdays in the fall are all about! So, let’s take a look at the SEC East.

1. Georgia: The Dawgs crushed the Gators in Jacksonville. This game was significant for the Dawgs because it showed the rest of the SEC that they are still here, even without their best player. Georgia has a massive game against the Missouri Tigers next Saturday in Athens. If the Dawgs beat the Tigers next week, the East would be wrapped up. But again, crazier things have happened before. The Dawgs should win the East, and if they played like they did Saturday against the Gators, the Dawgs are well on there for a three-peat.

2. Mizzou: While the Dawgs played in Jacksonville, the Tigers rested at home. Mizzou had this week off after crushing South Carolina a week ago. For Mizzou, their entire season rides on the trip to Athens next week. If Mizzou can pull off the upset, they will likely play for the SEC Championship in Atlanta. They still have to play Tennessee and Florida later next month but would be favored in both games. We will see if they can go into Sanford Stadium and beat the Dawgs next Saturday. My early hunch is they do not, but I have been wrong before.

3. Florida: I just wanted to write “hahah” for this section, but I won’t. That would be way to mean. Florida has suffered their second in-conference loss, but because of the win over the Vols in September, they have the tiebreaker over them. Florida will likely lose again, as they have to take on LSU on the road. The Gators are staring down a losing season or a 6-6 season. Man, after having all that hope after beating a bad South Carolina team, I hate to see it. They will always have that first drive of the game against Georgia!

4. Tennessee: The Vols went into a hostile environment against Kentucky and played one of its best games all year. The Vols won 33-27. I came away impressed with the way the Vols won the game. Furthermore, Joe Milton played his best game of the year. I don’t think Georgia fans should be too worried about the Dawgs’ trip up to Knoxville, but Tennessee does have some grit to them. I think they can give Georgia a good game and could be Mizzou. But the problem with the Vols all year is that they have been inconsistent all year. So, who knows what they will look like next week or three weeks when they play Georgia.

5. Kentucky: The Cats looked to be the second-best team in the East at the start of the season. Since they got their doors blown out by the Dawgs, this team has done nothing but lose. They had several opportunities against Mizzou two weeks ago and Saturday against the Vols. It is almost November, so it’s basketball season for Big Blue Nation. It is a good thing it is because their football team is not very good. More than likely, the Cats will be playing in the Birgham Bowl this year.

6/7: South Carolina and Vanderbilt: I combined both these teams because you probably already saw what you needed to see. Both these teams are terrible. South Carolina got destroyed by Texas A&M, I mean throttled; they never had a chance. Currently, the chickens are sitting 2-6, and I am unsure if they will even beat Jacksonville State. Beamer has to be put on the hot seat this minute. I don’t know if Beamer is the guy to turn around that program. If you are a South Carolina fan, you have to be upset at the current state of your program. Lastly, Vanderbilt tried against Ole Miss and at least kept it respectable. So good for Vandy! You could ruin someone’s season down the stretch. I doubt it, but I am pulling for you!

The next three weeks for the Dawgs are massive. The Dawgs can pull this off and win all three of the following games; we have a good shot at seeing another title in Athens. But as Kirby Smart always says, “humility is a week away.” So enjoy the win over Florida until Sunday night; then, we should all focus on Mizzou.