Tuesday Takes: Texas surpassed Georgia as the team to beat in the SEC

Following the Week 3 college football slate, Texas dethroned Georgia as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press (AP) Top 25 poll rankings. It's a historic feat for the illustrious Longhorns program and potentially marks a power shift.

The Bulldogs had the top spot in the AP standings since the preseason ballot was released. However, voters now favor the Longhorns after staving off Kentucky and escaping Lexington by the skin of their with a 13-12 victory.

Texas received 35 first-place votes and 1,540 points compared to Georgia's 23 and 1,518, respectively. So, while the Longhorns currently find themselves in pole position as the nation's best unit, the Bulldogs still aren't too far behind.

Georgia played what will likely be their worst football of the 2024 season against Kentucky, which created an opening for Texas. Nonetheless, have the Longhorns truly supplanted the Bulldogs as the superior squad in the SEC? Has there been enough evidence to support that?

Tuesday Takes: Texas surpassed Georgia as the team to beat in the SEC

Even after losing quarterback and Heisman shortlist contender Quinn Ewers to an abdomen injury in their blowout victory over UTSA, the Longhorns looked unstoppable. Of course, having an uber-talented, five-star freshman recruit for a backup signal-caller certainly helps.

Arch Manning, the nephew of legendary NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, entered the contest and lit up the Roadrunners. He had a historic breakout performance, amassing 276 total yards and five touchdowns. And with Ewers' latest injury update, the 19-year-old may get another crack at it when Texas faces UL-Monroe next.

Typically, the genie doesn't get put back in the bottle regarding these things, setting up a possible quarterback controversy in Austin. If Manning has another massive outing in front of the home crowd at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, eventually returning to Ewers will be difficult. 

Ewers forwent the 2024 NFL Draft to return to Texas for his senior year. Manning's excellent play puts Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian in an enviable albeit challenging situation. Regardless of who the Longhorns sideline general decides to roll with, people will be upset. In essence, they're both right and wrong answers.

Meanwhile, George has won two of the past three national championships and has continuity on both sides of the ball. Fifth-year senior Carson Beck is among college football's best gunslingers and prospects, complimented by a stout Bulldogs defense headlined by Jalon Walker and Malaki Starks. Not to mention, Kirby Smart always gives his crew an advantage.

The Longhorns may have snatched AP poll supremacy from the Bulldogs, but they have more to prove to unseat Georgia.