Looking ahead. And then a little further.

About the new SEC schedule, and particularly, Georgia's. A few quick bullets and then some devil's advocacy.

• I was a big proponent of the SEC moving on to a nine game scheduling format. Ultimately, they stayed at eight. But looking over that gauntlet, hoo boy!
• Here's to hoping Kirby's boys can use that CFA Kickoff as a jumping off point the way they did in 2022 vs. Oregon!
• But even if we do get the best of the Tigers in Atlanta, that SEC slate is tough! 
• The road games look especially daunting, and not just with the trips to Tuscaloosa and Austin. Ole Miss got a thumpin' in Athens and they'll be looking for some home cooking with Jaxson Dart returning for his eighth season.
• But hey! Two off weeks!

A lot has been said since the 2023 CFB Playoff was set, as to whether a 2-3 loss Georgia team would make the new 12 team format in 2024. As Seth Emerson pointed out in last week's mailbag ($$), it would depend on how things were playing out, both regionally and nationally. It's hard to imagine the top three SEC teams not making the bracket. Maybe four if the media deems the conference "tough" enough.

But what if we ran it through and beat them all? I am intrigued by an expanded playoff, and I'm definitely looking forward to experts like Desmond and Kirk not helping a committee form the best (or most deserving) (whichever) (whatever) four team bracket. Twelve feels like what expanded playoff advocates have been saying all along, "Let it play out on the field!"

But to be honest, I'm still concerned. What does the Georgia Tech game look like if we know that we're in? Personally, I've been more than pleased to see the way Kirby and Staff have handled their personnel late in the season. We didn't need Brock Bowers to beat Tech this year, but we knew we needed him the next week.

I trust our coaches to do what is best for the team, short term and long term. It's just all those scenarios where an expanded playoff adversely affects the regular season (and possibly even conference championship games) are not only still there, but now they're looming right around the corner.

In short:

• Tough schedule = 👀
• ESPN personalities' value = 💩
• 🤞 expanded post-season doesn't devalue the regular one!