We know exactly where Georgia stands entering the 2023 season. At the top of the mountain, times 2, with the Bulldogs’ back-to-back national championships staring every SEC challenger in the face as the offseason hits.

But what about the rest of the story in the conference as we begin the couple months of break time until recruiting and spring football heat back up?

College football analysts Greg McElroy and Matt Barrie broke it down on Friday morning on the “Always College Football” podcast.

The discussion begins at about 17:00:

“LSU, phenomenal year I think,” said McElroy, who pointed to the Tigers’ bad loss to Texas A&M to end the regular season. “I’m not suggesting we give Brian Kelly a lifetime contract, but I think he overachieved.”

After hailing LSU and bypassing Georgia because “we don’t need to say much about them,” McElroy got to the curious case of Alabama, which he quarterbacked to the 2009 national title.

“Bama, slightly disappointing,” he admitted. “But still, you know, a couple close games here and there. They’re a bounce or two in one direction or the other where they can be undefeated and find their way to the playoff.”

Barrie talked about the muddled state of the SEC East, not counting Georgia, of course, and also put Tennessee in the Bulldogs’ class after the Volunteers’ breakout 2022 season.

“It’s Georgia-Tennessee. That’s your baseline,” said Barrie. “Georgia’s in a class of their own. Tier 1 in the East is Georgia and Tennessee. … I’m glad we got Tennessee back. Tennessee is great for college football.”

Barrie believes LSU will be a long-term concern for Alabama.

“If you look at the SEC West, Alabama is the standard,” he said. “But I’m telling you, Brian Kelly is finally at a spot where he doesn’t have restrictions when it comes to who gets to play football at his school. He’s the one guy who can be a problem for Alabama.”