Three weeks of college football may already be in the books, but it has felt like something was missing through the first several weeks of action.
That something was the Southeastern Conference, and at long last after delaying its kickoff by three weeks, SEC football is set to take place this Saturday.
In anticipation for what should be an exciting Week 4, ESPN released a list of storylines fans should keep an eye on this weekend.
Among the most interesting items in the conference this week is the culmination of the quarterback battle at Georgia. Coach Kirby Smart hasn’t named a starter between JT Daniels — a transfer from USC and the favorite to win the job after presumed starter Jamie Newman decided to opt-out and focus on the NFL Draft—and D’Wan Mathis, a redshirt freshman who was already on the roster.
Double-secret depth charts: Kirby Smart won’t say who is starting at QB for Georgia this week against Arkansas because that is how it’s done in the SEC, where we’re lucky they even bother to tell us when and where the games are being played. In the Zoom era, when the world is wearing a nice shirt with sweatpants, we love this type of chicanery. Frankly, we’re disappointed that Smart has even admitted he plans to play a quarterback at all. A wiser SEC coach might have at least left the door open to running the Wildcat for the whole game. Got to keep Arkansas guessing.
ESPN elaborated further on the intriguing signal-caller race in Athens.
Who is next in the line of Georgia quarterbacks?
If you have followed the quarterback carousel at UGA these past few years, it has been quite a ride. (There was Jacob Eason for a bit, then Jake Fromm, along with a year of Justin Fields as a backup.) And this year is no different. Expected starter and Wake Forest transfer Jamie Newman opted out, leaving JT Daniels and D’Wan Mathis.
Daniels started the 2018 season for Southern California but suffered a knee injury in the 2019 opener against Fresno State and was replaced by Kedon Slovis — leading to Daniels’ transfer to Georgia in late May. Daniels hasn’t yet been medically cleared to play, but Kirby Smart hopes he will be able to compete on Saturday against Arkansas.
If Daniels isn’t able to go, Mathis will start. The redshirt freshman missed his first season after needing emergency brain surgery to remove a cyst. Now, he is in a position where he could be the Bulldogs’ season-opening starter.
With UGA’s inexperience at the game’s most important position, coach Dan Mullen and Florida will hope Year 3 is the year to score a victory over their bitter rival, which has won the SEC East the last three seasons.
The Bulldogs aren’t the only Florida rival currently under the college football world’s microscope, though.
The Gators have a burgeoning rivalry with UCF, albeit one that isn’t likely to be played out on a football field any time soon.
Knights quarterback Dillon Gabriel received some attention for his comments after defeating Georgia Tech 49-21 in which he called his team the best in Florida. The Yellow Jackets upset FSU at Doak Campbell Stadium in Week 1.
Gabriel has a case, as the Knights would currently be favored over every other FBS team in the state.
NEXT: Who is the best team in Florida?