Has there been a changing of the guard in the SEC?

It would certainly appear so as Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs have won back-to-back national championships with sights set on a third consecutive CFP title.

With that said, it appears logical that Georgia has created a gap between itself and the rest of the SEC, including Alabama. Crimson Tide fans would seem to balk at such a statement. The Bulldogs are 1-7 in their last eight against the Tide.

But Greg McElroy – former Alabama quarterback – is here to tell you that the perceived gap is a real thing.

“Let’s start with the fact that Georgia – right now – is the standard of college football,” McElroy said during an episode of “Always College Football.” “That is not some secret. That is not some hypothesis. This is fact. They’ve won consecutive national championships. They are right now based on preseason prognostications favored by many to win 3 in a row. …

“When you look at Georgia over the last couple of years, they have done a remarkable job of replenish talent.”

McElroy pointed to the Bulldogs replacing 15 players drafted a year ago, including nine on defense a year ago.

“Many people, self included, had question marks going into last year,” McElroy said. “Would they be able to replicate the success of the year before? Not only did they do that – in many ways – last year’s team was maybe even a lit bit better across the board at times than they were in 2021 when they won the first championship under Kirby Smart.

“They’re the standard. They’re No. 1 right now. There’s no denying that.”

That’s not say Alabama is out of the conversation. McElroy acknowledged the Tide had been the dominant team but has given way to the Bulldogs, at least for now.

“There’s no reason to try to pretend to the gap doesn’t exist, there is a little bit of a gap right now,” McElroy said. “But all that can change this upcoming year because you’re only as good as your last game.”

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.