Joel Klatt doesn’t have any trouble naming the SEC’s best team right now. The real puzzle, in his view, starts immediately after that.
With Week 8 in the books and November creeping up, Klatt said he’s still sorting through a conference that feels wide open behind Georgia. He pointed to the Bulldogs as the league’s top team, even with the loss to Auburn, but after that he sees a messy race for second.
“We’re about to be in November… [and] I have no idea who I trust in this league,” Klatt said on his show. “I think Georgia’s the best team in the SEC, even though they lost to Auburn.
Who’s the second-best team? Ceiling-wise, it’s probably Texas.
Consistency-wise, it’s probably Kentucky.”
Texas and Kentucky both have cases, just for different reasons. Klatt framed the Longhorns as the more explosive option, while the Wildcats have been steadier.
Texas has the more impressive wins, even against Kentucky’s solid victories, but the Longhorns also carry multiple losses. Kentucky, meanwhile, has only one.
Klatt didn’t stop there. If the SEC’s second tier keeps shifting, he also sees LSU as a team worth watching in that conversation.
“Who do I think [the SEC’s second-best team] going to be? LSU?”
Klatt asked. “They get Texas at home… we’ll see if LSU can [win] that.”
Before Lane Kiffin and Co. can even think about the Longhorns, they have a major test ahead in Week 10 against Alabama. The Crimson Tide and Tigers are set for a 3:30 p.m.
ET kickoff on Nov. 7.
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Hayes growth has stood out because it comes in the middle of an uneven season, when TCU has been searching for answers and consistency on offense. His development suggests the Horned Frogs may be finding another dependable target, and the next question is how much larger his role can become as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]
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The matchup also carries some added weight because Kansas has had a hard time solving TCU in recent years, and Fort Worth has not exactly been a friendly stop for the Jayhawks. Still, this version of Kansas looks more capable of creating problems with its run game and enough passing help to make defenses think twice about loading up. If TCU is going to protect home field, it will need to keep Kansas from getting comfortable early and find a way to take away the kind of balance that has made the Jayhawks tougher to handle. [Read more 🡒]