It’s clear that early season talk of the SEC being overrated was premature, especially as two of its teams — Georgia and Alabama — prepare to play in Monday’s National Championship Game.

However, there is still chatter about the league being top-heavy, but don’t tell that to Georgia’s Kirby Smart or Alabama’s Nick Saban.

During the National Championship Game media day on Saturday, Saban said the SEC fluctuates from year to year, but added that it’s a great league from top to bottom (via 247Sports):

“Look, I think the SEC is a great league from top to bottom, and I think each year it changes a little bit,” Saban said. “Sometimes there’s seven or eight or nine really good teams. Sometimes there’s three or four or five. And I think it depends a little bit on players that leave, players that come in, quarterbacks, how many injuries people get, do they lose their quarterback. I thought this was a good year in the SEC. Have there been years when I thought there was maybe a few more really stronger teams? Maybe.

“But I guess any league would be criticized for being top heavy when two of the teams are playing in the championship game.”

Smart pointed to a couple of close games Alabama had while also noting that the Bulldogs had some tough opponents on their conference schedule as well:

“You look at their margin of victory on Texas A&M and Mississippi State, I think the league is closer to even,” Smart said. “I don’t see it as there’s just three great teams and everybody else. Every team we played, I think South Carolina was much better this year than anybody gave them credit for, Kentucky, same way, Missouri had a great finish. I respect our league.”

The national title trophy will once again belong to the SEC this year, too, so all talk of the league being overrated is just that — talk.