Capers Childs
Prediction on SEC Teams To Make College Football Playoff
By: Capers Childs
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The fall season is college football fans’ favorite time of the year.
Many could argue that college football is more exciting than professional with all the high-stakes and unpredictability.
The Southeastern Conference (SEC) represents a different kind of college football, rooted deeply in the south, with the teams who have the most passionate fans, loads of NFL talent, and the most elite competition in the country.
The College Football Playoff is the ultimate goal for every major college football program. However, because there are a limited number of spots available, teams must perform at a high level throughout the regular season while competing against some of the toughest opponents in the country.
And because the SEC is considered the toughest conference in college football, several of its teams earn playoff spots.
The four SEC teams that I think are the most likely to make it in the college football playoffs in 2026 are the University of Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and Texas A&M.
First is the University of Georgia. This has been a dominant program since Kirby Smart took over as head coach in 2015.
He holds an overall record of 117-21. UGA’s success is also built on elite in-state recruiting, and their massive financial investment. Not only this but their fan support is unreal.
Georgia’s ability to recruit top high school athletes year after year has allowed the Bulldogs to remain one of the best teams in the nation. Even after losing players to the NFL draft, they continue to bring talent in. This is what makes Georgia a safe bet to reach the CFP.
Next, the University of Alabama football has pretty much always been known to be successful. Nick Saban was the primary reason for the modern success of the program. During his time at Alabama, he won 6 national championships, secured 9 SEC titles, and developed a record number of players for the National Football League (NFL) Draft.
Although Alabama is adjusting to the game after Nick Saban’s departure, this isn’t changing the way they compete. The Crimson Tide continue to recruit at an elite level and their experience and talent make them a strong contender every season.
The University of Texas has claimed four consensus titles along with multiple other historical claims. They open the season with a difficult stretch of non-conference games against Texas State, Ohio State, and UTSA. The pressure is going to be on for Steve Sarkisian to improve on last season’s success and lead Texas to another CFP appearance. They’ve definitely got the roster to do so this season.
Texas has also recruited exceptionally well over the past couple of years, and they have one of the deepest rosters in college football. If the Longhorns can navigate their difficult schedule this season, I believe that they have the talent to compete for both an SEC championship and a playoff spot.
Texas A&M is another team that has potential to make the College Football Playoff. Texas A&M has recruited some of the nation’s top talent in recent years and has the depth needed to compete in the SEC. If the Aggies can play consistent football throughout the season and win a majority of their SEC matchups, I think they have the talent to compete with any team in the conference.
The talent that they have on their roster make them one of my top four playoff picks.
However, in the era of the transfer portal and NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness), keeping a talented roster has become one of the biggest challenges in college football.
Team rosters are changing year after year, but Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and Texas A&M have been stable in that department which gives these four schools an advantage heading into the 2026 season.
Now the question is whether Louisiana State University will earn a spot in the CFP or not. LSU could be the biggest dark horse in the SEC this season.
With Lane Kiffin leaving the University of Mississippi for LSU, they could make a promising run. Kiffin has proven that he can compete with the best teams in the conference, and his arrival is huge for this Tigers’ program. I believe LSU has the potential to challenge the SEC’s top teams and compete for a playoff spot in 2026.
Overall, I think Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and Texas A&M have the best chance of making the 2026 College Football Playoff. However, with Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers, they could be a surprise.
Give Him A Raise?
By: Capers Childs
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Every time Ronald Acuña Jr. steps to the plate, Braves fans are reminded that Atlanta may have one of the best deals in baseball. He’s one of baseball’s biggest stars, and he can change a game with just one swing or one stolen base.
However, injuries have repeatedly threatened his career. And the question remains: Should the Braves pay him more despite the risks?
Ronald Acuña Jr. is a star outfielder for the Braves. He made his MLB debut in 2018 and quickly established himself as one of the most talked about players in the sport.
He is best known as the only player in baseball history to hit more than 40 home runs and steal more than 70 bases in a single season.
Acuña is also a five-time All-Star, a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year. His power, speed, and athleticism make him a rare talent that few players are able to match.
Acuña’s impact goes far beyond statistics. Whenever he is in the lineup, the Braves have a greater chance of winning.
Fans enjoy watching him play, and his jersey is one of the most recognizable in baseball. As the face of the franchise, he has become a huge part of the Braves’ success over the past several seasons.
Players who can influence games like this are difficult to replace, making Acuña one of the organization’s most valuable assets.
However, a major risk of keeping Acuña on the team is his injury proneness. In both 2021 and 2024, he tore his ACL and that forced him to miss significant playing time.
An injury like this can affect a player’s speed, agility, and overall athleticism, which is detrimental to someone whose game relies heavily on his quickness and explosiveness.
Just as Acuña seemed unstoppable, another injury would strike, raising questions about his future durability. Because of this, some people argue that giving him a larger contract could be a gamble.
Still, elite players are rare, and Acuña has consistently shown that he can overcome adversity. After recovering from his first ACL injury, he returned to have one of the greatest seasons in baseball history and won the National League MVP Award.
His ability to bounce back demonstrates his talent, his determination and work ethic.
The Braves know exactly what kind of player and teammate they have in Acuña, which makes investing in him less risky than taking a chance on an unknown player.
Injuries may always be part of Ronald Acuña Jr.’s story. But when he is on the field, few players can match his talent, energy, or influence on a game.
For the Braves, paying Acuña more would not simply reward past success…it would be an investment in the future of the franchise and the player who has become its face.
Why Georgia Bulldogs Can Never Let Kirby Smart Leave For NFL
By: Capers Childs
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For decades, University of Georgia fans waited for someone who could finally bring the Bulldogs back to the apex of college football. Then, Kirby Smart arrived.
What Smart has built in Athens is more than just a winning football program. He has changed the standard of Georgia football in its entirety.
Before Smart, University of Georgia was a consistently-successful program, but the Bulldogs struggled to break through and become a national championship winning program.
Under previous head coach, Mark Richt (2001-15), Georgia posted a 145-51 record (.740) and remained nationally relevant, but could never reach the top of the college football landscape.
Smart took over as Georgia’s head coach in 2015 and has since built one of the most dominant stretches in college football history.
He currently has an impressive record of 117-21 with a .848 winning percentage. His accomplishments include back-to-back College Football National Championships in 2021 and 2022, a 2017 CFP title game appearance, SEC Championships in 2017, 2022 and 2024, six SEC Eastern Division titles, and eight New Year’s Six bowl appearances. In just his second season, he had the Bulldogs playing for the national championship for the first time in three decades.
What makes Smart so valuable to Georgia goes beyond his records. He took the job at his alma mater and a place he and his family love. His passion for the program has helped create a standard that Georgia fans had been waiting decades to see.
That impact is also reflected in the atmosphere surrounding the program. Georgia football has become one of the most iconic environments in all of college sports. The Dawg Walk, tailgates, and the packed Sanford Stadium is what defines a Saturday in Athens and under Kirby Smart, Georgia is expected to maintain greatness every season.
Smart’s dominance is also shown in recruiting. Before this year, the Bulldogs hadn’t signed fewer than three five-star recruits since 2017, and they have consistently been top 10 in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
That talent has translated directly to the next level. Under Smart, Georgia has produced 21 first-round NFL Draft picks – the same number as his total losses as head coach.
In that span, he has also had 84 players selected in the NFL Draft, including a modern-era record 15 players taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, the most from a single school in the seven-round draft format. Smart has turned Georgia football into one of the strongest NFL pipelines in college football.
Smart’s commitment to the program is also reflected in the investment Georgia has made in him. He is currently on a $130-million dollar contract through the year 2033. He’s making roughly $13 million dollars a year. In fact, only five NFL coaches are making more than Smart is at UGA. So, why would he leave the SEC?
Speculation about Smart eventually leaving for the NFL continues to surface. However, he already has a background coaching in the NFL. In 2006, he was the safeties coach for the Miami Dolphins for just one season under Nick Saban.
During his lone year in the league, the Dolphins finished with an overall record of 6-10-0. After a subpar year, he returned to college football, where his career has reached a whole new level of success
The reality is that Georgia Football is built around Kirby Smart. Every part of the program. If he were to leave for the NFL, Georgia would be losing the foundation of what the Bulldogs have spent decades trying to build.
For Georgia, the question is what the program would look like without Kirby Smart – and for a team built entirely around his standard, that answer is exactly why Georgia cannot afford to let him go.
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