Kirby Smart just got the bulletin-board material he craves from record projection

The last time Georgia lost two regular season games was during COVID. That is what Brad Crawford of 247Sports put out there into the world this week with his SEC record predictions post. He has the Dawgs finishing in third place in the SEC behind Ole Miss and Texas, the two projected losses he has for Georgia. While I admit that Georgia has a brutal schedule, this is a one-loss team at minimum, man.

Crawford has Texas, who has never played a game as a member of the SEC, winning the league at 11-1 with the Longhorns' one loss to ... Texas A&M?! Although I do suspect that the Aggies will be much better under Mike Elko this season, because anything is better than Jimbo Fisher, I trust Texas A&M to live up to lofty expectations as much as a politician will ever have my back. So what about Georgia?

The Dawgs are in a five-way tie for second place with Ole Miss, Tennessee, Alabama and LSU. While all four of those teams, five if you include Georgia, can make the expanded College Football Playoff, I don't have anybody among that quintet besides Georgia as a lock. The closest to Georgia's level would be Ole Miss, who I have as a high-end almost lock with Missouri, a team Crawford has at 9-3.

For as much as this may irritate me, all I know is Kirby Smart will use this slight to motivate his team.

Kirby Smart has all the fuel to light a fire and gaslight UGA to perfection

You need to ask yourself this. Do you think Nick Saban's two other greatest proteges are going to clip his greatest protege in Smart twice this year? Maybe Lane Kiffin matures enough to sneak one past Smart? Maybe Steve Sarkisian does have the best team in the SEC upon Texas' first year in the league? While Georgia could lose to either of these teams, I am not going to say the Dawgs drop both.

Since the COVID season, Georgia has lost a combined four games. Three of which were to Alabama, twice was to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta, and the other was during the Cocktail Party vs. Florida down in Jacksonville. Georgia has not lost a home game since missing a field goal vs. regional rival South Carolina back in 2019. Will Muschamp was the Gamecocks coach...

What I am getting at is have a little respect for the best team in college football. The last time the Rebels mattered in Atlanta was in 1864. Picking Texas to win the SEC before they even play a game in the league is not a hill I am willing to die on. Right now, I have Georgia beating Texas in Atlanta, with the Dawgs, the Longhorns, Ole Miss, Missouri and either Alabama or LSU making the expanded playoff.

It may happen eventually, but I am struggling to see a world where Smart loses to Kiffin and Sarkisian.