Kirk Herbstreit does not have strong confidence in one team as SEC favorite

As we approach the end of the regular season, the Southeastern Conference is jam-packed at the top.

Nine of the top-16 teams are ranked in the Top-25 Rankings, led by 8-0 No. 3 Texas A&M and 7-1 No. 4 Alabama and No. 5 Georgia. Along with these three programs, No. 7 Ole Miss (8-1), No. 11 Oklahoma (7-2), No. 13 Texas (7-2), No. 15 Vanderbilt (7-2), and No. 19 Missouri (6-2) are still not mathematically eliminated from pushing for the SEC crown.

Heading into Week 11 of the season, ESPN‘s Kirk Herbstreit revealed that he doesn’t have confidence in any team as an SEC favorite. Herbstreit leaned towards Alabama and name-dropped Georgia and Ole Miss as teams that could make a run, but left out 8-0 (5-0) Texas A&M.

“Clearly not,” Herbstreit responded when asked if there was a favorite. “I think Georgia‘s the most resilient team, because just when you think you’ve finally caught up to them, they find a way to get out of it. Alabama of course, since their loss to Florida State, we’ve all been giving them their kudos. They deserve it. I think it’s gonna get much tougher.

“Even with the LSU game, as much as you may think, ‘eh, LSU fired (Brian) Kelly,’ there’s still something there. They’ve got Oklahoma coming up. I’d probably lean towards the Crimson Tide, but it’s still a discussion. I think it’s still a thing. Georgia and Ole Miss are still right there for me.”

Herbstreit leaves out Texas A&M when discussing SEC frontrunners

Although it is ranked No. 3 in the country, Texas A&M might be one of the most underrated teams in all of college football. Its lone ranked conference win came against No. 20 LSU just one day before it parted ways with its head coach, but the Aggies may own (along with Indiana‘s road win over Oregon) the best win in college football.

In its third game of the season, A&M held off Notre Dame 41-40 in South Bend. Since this win, the Fighting Irish have rattled off six consecutive wins and climbed back to No. 10 in the AP Poll. The Aggies have built on this win and compiled an 8-0 (5-0) record and look to be on their way to the College Football Playoff for the first time.

Alabama has become the trendy pick after it rattled off seven consecutive wins (four against ranked opponents) following its season opening loss to Florida State. 7-1 (5-1) Georgia‘s lone loss came to the Crimson Tide, and 8-1 (5-1) Ole Miss‘ lone loss came to Georgia.

With three conference games remaining for each SEC opponent, things are sure to get messy ahead of Dec. 6’s SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.