Joel Klatt isn’t ready to crown a clear No. 2 in the SEC, and that’s saying something this deep into the season.
With November creeping up and the conference still feeling unsettled, Klatt said he’s comfortable calling Georgia the league’s best team despite the Bulldogs’ loss to Auburn. After that, though, he sees a messy race with no obvious answer.
“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.”
That’s the split Klatt laid out: Texas looks like the higher-upside team, while Kentucky has been the steadier bet. The Longhorns own some huge wins, but they also have multiple losses. Kentucky, meanwhile, has only one loss on its résumé.
Klatt also floated LSU as a team that could force its way into that discussion. He pointed to the Tigers’ upcoming home game against Texas and made it clear that matchup could help answer the question.
“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 think about the Longhorns, they have their own test in Week 10 against Alabama. The Crimson Tide and Tigers are set to kick off at 3:30 p.m.
ET on Nov. 7.