Rivalry weekend served as a Litmus test in the upper echelons of the CFB realm. Some of the perceived contending teams rose to the occasion, while others faltered under the spotlight. One contender in particular had question marks over its legitimacy. However, what they conjured, in an environment akin to the Roman Colosseum in its pomp, thwarted any naysayers. It won over those sitting on the fence as well.

What transpired in College Station on the weekend was a watershed moment not only in the overarching context of the Texas- Texas A&M rivalry, but in the immediate perception around the Longhorns. Simply put, they’re for real. The scoreline didn’t reflect the dominance they inflicted on their foes. The offense moved up and down Kyle Field at will, and the defense proved they’re the best in the sport. Joel Klatt echoed a notion that a lot of observers walked away with after the game.

“I think at their best, Texas is probably my pick to win the national championship. Because I think at their very best they might be better than anybody else”, said Joel Klatt during his namesake YouTube show. The Texas Longhorns were yet to have a major scalp on their resume. Even though they’re now in the SEC, Steve Sarkisian’s outfit somehow escaped the gauntlet of a schedule that others in the southeast had to endure. This win was a statement. It proved to people that the Longhorns’ suspension near the top of the rankings all along was not a fallacy.

Joel Klatt also acknowledged some of Texas’ adversaries in the mix for the Natty. “It’s tough to go against Oregon right now. I still think Ohio State, at their best, is very good. if they play their own game and not on the terms of their opponents. So those are my three favorites,” he said. 

Fellow national analysts such as Josh Pate have been riding with the Texas Longhorns all along. Klatt warming up to them is still reassuring. The $20 million spent on this roster is primed to pay dividends in the CFP. That said, you may have noticed one particular program’s exclusion from Klatt’s list. If those of a Texas persuasion took reassurance from these comments, another fanbase may have taken away additional concern.

Joel Klatt strikingly leaves out a perennial contender off his shortlist

The Georgia Bulldogs under Kirby Smart have been dynastic. 2 National Championships, and always in the fray for more along the years. The program has been the epitome of CFB so far this decade. However, Joel Klatt thinks their best days are past them. 

“I don’t believe Georgia is one of my favorites. Not after what I saw against Georgia Tech. We have seen too many times now, during the course of the year, that this Georgia team is just not very good. Now, that’s relatively speaking. That’s probably more comparative to what they have been over the last couple of years”. The last bit is the key. There is no doubting Georgia’s quality and even pedigree when it’s time to play December football. But the fall from grace is apparent. 

Steve Sarkisian will face up against Kirby Smart in the SEC Championship imminently. With the game set to be in Atlanta, there will perhaps be more red than orange in the stands. But the Texas Longhorns have already shown up and showed out in front of an unwelcoming crowd. They’ll have revenge for the earlier loss in their mind. QB1 Qwinn Ewers will want to answer his critics, too. The championship game will tell us a lot about both team’s standing. Whether Texas has taken strides since their loss to Georgia or whether the Bulldogs have yet another extra gear in December. A behemoth clash beckons.