Joel Klatt: The SEC still runs through Georgia, Kirby Smart

Tennessee had its shot to knock off Georgia in Week 3, but the Bulldogs prevailed in overtime during a heated battle inside Neyland Stadium. FOX Sports analyst Joel Klatt was watching closely, and he believes the result made one thing clear — Kirby Smart’s team is still the one to beat in the SEC.

Even if Georgia have looked a bit more mortal over the past year, Klatt argued that Smart’s program remains the standard in the SEC. The Bulldogs are a force to be reckoned with among the sport as a whole, as well.

“The SEC still goes through Georgia, because those Dawgs can bite,” Klatt stated, via The Joel Klatt Show. “They have resilience. This is a great, proud program. They practice with urgency. They build their roster with urgency. They play with urgency. This is what we didn’t see from Alabama against Florida State in Week 1. This is a team that answered the bell in that environment.

“This is one of the most special environments in college football. It’s checkered out. It is loud. And you’re down 21-7, and they just started eating the elephant. What do I mean by that? Well, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. That’s like a comeback. You can’t get it all back right now. And they just start plodding along, plodding along.

“They get a couple of stops, then they’re able to get a couple of scores, and then they get into a shootout. Then it’s fourth down, Stockton drops an absolute dime. The throw he made on fourth down was sensational. That is a big-time throw. Huge, man. I mean, like, wow. Again, another one of those moments — I’m on the plane, and I’m like, holy cow. And everyone looks at me.

Moreover, Klatt elaborated on what impressed him the most, and that was Georgia’s refusal to fold in a tough spot. While other teams might have all the talent in the world, he believes few possess the mental toughness it takes to win in high-pressure settings.

“Most teams would have folded. Most teams would have folded. They wouldn’t have the mental fortitude. They wouldn’t have the toughness. And they wouldn’t have the quarterback with that same toughness to come back from 21-7,” Klatt added. “I’m sure the defenses will play better moving forward, because they’re not going to have to see the offenses they just saw.

“But it’s just a reminder — as good as Tennessee played at home, and as highly as I now think of Texas A&M, and LSU’s got a couple of big wins, and John Mateer and Oklahoma look a lot better. Guess what, folks? You still have to beat Georgia. And that’s incredibly difficult to do. That conference still goes through Georgia.

“It goes through Kirby Smart. And right now it goes through Gunner Stockton. So kudos to the Georgia Bulldogs for that big win, in what can only be described as one of the great environments in all of college football.”

Looking ahead, Klatt acknowledged that the SEC is filled with challengers, but until someone proves otherwise, Georgia remains at the top. The Bulldogs are a team that continues to validate their status when the lights shine brightest, and that doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon