The confetti has barely settled from SEC Media Days in Tampa, and if you were hoping for some kind of shocker, well, you clearly haven’t been watching college football for the last few years. Because, yep, you guessed it: the Georgia Bulldogs are the media’s pick to win the conference in 2026. Seriously, is anyone even surprised at this point? It’s like asking if the sun will rise in the East. Same as it ever was, right? This team is just different.
Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs: The Untouchable Standard
Look, you can’t argue with results, and Kirby Smart has built something truly special in Athens. The Bulldogs have absolutely dominated the league, taking home the SEC title in three of the last four years. Remember that nail-biter against Texas in the 2024 SEC championship? Georgia pulled out a 22-19 win, and honestly, that game was a microcosm of their reign. Smart’s program isn’t just good, it’s a dynasty in the making, the gold standard for college football for the better part of a decade now. They were in the national title game back in 2017, then went on to win it all in both 2021 and 2022. It’s not just that they’ve been successful; they’ve straight up replaced Alabama as the team everyone else is chasing. Smart, who learned from the best as a Nick Saban assistant, has truly elevated the ‘Dawgs. They’ve gone from being a really good squad to an absolutely dominant force, and the media’s preseason poll just reflects that undeniable truth. Who else could they pick?
Sarkisian Knows The Score, But That Doesn’t Make It Easier
You gotta hand it to Texas coach Steve Sarkisian: he’s not delusional. He gets it. When asked about the Georgia pick, Sark didn’t mince words, basically saying you can’t be the best until you beat the best. “There’s a lot of sayings and quotes, in the sports world in particular,” Sarkisian said during his SEC Media Days press conference. “But this one is the most fitting. If you want to be the champion you’ve got to beat the champion. And it’s no more fitting for us. We’ve played Georgia three times and they’ve beaten us. All the credit in the world to Kirby and their team. They’re tough. They’re good. So if we want to be the champion, I’m guessing we have to beat the champion to make that happen.” And he’s not wrong. Since joining the SEC, the Longhorns have faced Georgia three times, and every single time, they’ve walked away with an L. It’s gotta sting, big time. These two powerhouses aren’t scheduled to clash in the regular season, which is honestly a bummer, but that just amps up the anticipation for what could be coming next.
So, while Georgia is the predictable pick, the real drama might unfold later this year. There’s a seriously good chance the two teams the media picked at the top could meet head-to-head in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta this December. Will Sark’s Longhorns finally get their chance for revenge and prove they can hang with the undisputed champions? Or will Georgia just keep on doing what they do best and stamp their authority on the conference once again? Get ready, because December in Atlanta could be absolutely electric.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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