Joel Klatt Names Top SEC Team, And It's Not No. 1 Ranked Texas

The Fox Sports analyst expects Texas to miss the SEC Championship Game and open the College Football Playoff in the first round as the No. 5 seed

Fox Sports broadcaster Joel Klatt emcees the Holiday Bowl trophy presentation | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt says Georgia is the best team in the SEC, and he expects the Bulldogs to beat Alabama in the SEC Championship Game while No. 1 Texas misses Atlanta entirely.

Klatt made the call on "The Joel Klatt Show" while laying out his October conference title picks. "I think Georgia is the best team in the SEC," Klatt said. He also projects the Bulldogs as the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff.

Why does Klatt doubt Texas?

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian walks across the field prior to the college football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Texas is 4-0 and No. 1 in the AP Top 25 with 62 first-place votes. Klatt said the Longhorns are "technically right now the No. 1 team in the country," but he thinks they can be beaten.

"If you look at their schedule and then the way that they've played outside of those 18 minutes of game time against Ohio State, I think that they're going to be susceptible to getting beat because of that," Klatt said.

Texas trailed Ohio State 23-3 on Sept. 12 before scoring three fourth-quarter touchdowns to win 24-23 in Austin. The Longhorns then beat Tennessee 20-17 in Knoxville on Sept. 26, and Klatt dropped them behind Georgia to No. 2 in his own top 10.

After a bye this week, Texas faces Oklahoma in Dallas on Oct. 10. Texas doesn't play Georgia or Alabama in the regular season, so Klatt sees the Crimson Tide passing the Longhorns in the standings.

"I think Alabama actually passes them, wins the tiebreaker, goes to the SEC championship game, and it's a Georgia-Alabama championship game, which we've seen before," Klatt said.

Joel Klatt picks Georgia over Alabama

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) rolls out and runs against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Georgia is 4-0 after a 41-13 win over Oklahoma in Athens on Sept. 26. The Bulldogs forced four turnovers and led 28-0 at halftime, as Sooners quarterback John Mateer lost two fumbles and threw an interception before the break.

"I think Georgia is that good. We saw that a week ago when they blew the doors off of Oklahoma, thanks in part to John Mateer, but they get the No. 2 seed. I think Georgia is very good," Klatt said.

Klatt moved the Bulldogs to No. 1 in his top 10 after the Oklahoma win. ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit has also said Georgia is playing angry this season.

Alabama and Texas playoff seeding

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Keelon Russell (12) runs the ball during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Klatt gives Alabama the No. 4 seed and the last first-round bye, even after a loss to Georgia in Atlanta. The Crimson Tide are 4-0 and No. 7 in the AP poll after a 49-18 win over South Carolina on Sept. 26. Quarterback Keelon Russell threw for 365 yards and four touchdowns in that game.

"I really love Keelon Russell and the way that he's been playing. They've been very explosive on offense," Klatt said.

That leaves Texas as the No. 5 seed. Klatt projects an 11-1 Longhorns team that would host the No. 12 seed in a first-round game.