Maybe it is Time to Face a Hard Reality?

[Ktmguy2018]

Folks, I take preseason rankings with a grain of salt probably as much as any of you do.  I had no idea if Oregon was the #11 team in the country or if Utah was the #7 team in the country.  I still don't know if Alabama is the #1 team because they had a scrimmage against Utah State.  What I can see, and I have hard time admitting this...is that the SEC is at a different level.  I know, Oregon had A LOT that they could have done better and I am not at all thinking this season is done.  In fact, I am very excited for the remainder of the season to see how the Ducks perform!  I am enthusiastic about the coaching staff, the roster, and where we are heading.

 

But, nobody...and I mean NOBODY can deny that Georgia had superior personnel on the field on both sides of the ball.  Their speed was undeniable.  Their size was intimidating.  AT THIS POINT IN TIME,  Georgia wins that game 9 out of 10 times.  

 

Oregon and Utah played for the Pac-12 Championship last year and Utah is/was considered by many to be the torch-bearer for the Pac-12 CFP hopes (USC dominating Rice doesn't count).  Florida was unranked at the beginning of the season.  I know I said I don't take preseason rankings very seriously, but an UNRANKED Florida team looked very good against the #7 Utes.  Utah played a heck of a game in a hostile environment.  But Florida matched them step for step and I couldn't tell you which side was more talented because they seemed pretty equal.

 

The harsh reality is this:  The SEC is on a different level.  Not all the teams (talking to you Vanderbilt and Kentucky); but the quality of players going to those schools is a mountain that Oregon and Utah have to scale if they want to be considered one of the powerhouses outside of the Pac-12.   I believe it was Todd Blackledge from the announcers booth who said that Georgia has a roster full of 5 star athletes, not just at few positions.  They reload with 5 star athletes...or something to that effect.  I strongly dislike the SEC.  Always have.  I hate that Mariota and crew didn't get to face Alabama in the national title game.  It is a HARD pill to swallow that the SEC conference is better...but the results were on the field yesterday.

 

We all saw the talent disparity, not just in Georgia/Oregon but in Florida/Utah as well.  I believe Oregon plays for the Pac-12 title again this year.  I believe that their offense will get rolling and we will see some big numbers put up.  And maybe, just maybe at the end of the year they will be in a position to seize a playoff spot.  But, at this point in time we are NOT equal to Alabama, Georgia, or Florida.  Time will tell if the Ducks can show themselves worthy to be in that discussion.

Edited September 4, 2022 by Ktmguy2018