Georgia fans are shocked at the terrible loss at home to Auburn, but Kirby Smart understands the reality of the toughest conference in all of college football. According to 247sports.com, Smart said, "We have to turn around and get ready to go play again because it is a war in this league, week in and week out. Everybody can beat everybody."
Coming into the Auburn game, the SEC had nine teams in the top 25 rankings, with four in the top 10. The Big 10 only had seven in the top 25, with two in the top 10. Skeptics point to the last three national championships won by the Big 10 conference, yet they ignore the quality of teams they play.
Big 10 teams wouldn't succeed in the SEC
The plain reality is that "powerhouses" like Ohio State and Indiana don't play as many ranked teams as Georgia does in the SEC. If the Buckeyes and Hoosiers had to face the Longhorns, Crimson Tide, Bulldogs, Tigers, and Gators in successive weeks, they wouldn't have the wins they have now.
If Georgia got to play Rutgers, Maryland, Illinois, Northwestern, Minnesota, and Michigan State in a slate of conference games, they'd be undefeated year after year. Sure, the addition of USC, UCLA, and Oregon have amped up the caliber of competition, but this year Oregon is tanking despite loads of talent, and USC and UCLA still don't have great defenses and will likely suffer two or three more losses.
"Upsets" are a given any week in the SEC
Unranked Florida beat top ranked Texas. No. 1 Georgia lost to Auburn. Ranked Tennessee overpowered Alabama. The last time Texas, Georgia, and Alabama lost on the same day was way back in 1996.
Ole Miss demolished an upstart Missouri this past weekend and LSU shutout No. 16 Mississippi State. Everybody can beat everybody in the SEC. At least half the Big 10 can't beat anybody else. Texas, as bad as they are playing now, still beat Ohio State earlier this year. The SEC schedule wears down all their top ranked teams over the course of the year, so on any given week, an SEC team can take down another.
If Smart is correct, and they are getting ready for the next game, then the Florida Gators better watch out. Georgia will be coming off a bye week and healed up and focused. The rankings this week will reflect all the upsets and big wins, but in the end, discerning fans know that the SEC still is the toughest league in college football.
Add us as a preferred source on Google