The way things are progressing with Kirby Smart's prodigious program, the UGA football team might want to keep a standing appointment for this specific point in the seasonal calendar.
After all, the banners are flying en masse, with no apparent end in sight.
On Saturday, the vaunted Dawgs vanquished the division-title hopes of No. 9 Kentucky, by routing the Wildcats in Lexington, 34-17.
The significance of this triumph has three big components:
a) UGA has clinched back-to-back SEC East crowns for the third time in 15 years ... 2002-03 (David Greene/David Pollack era) ... and 2011-12 (Aaron Murray era).
b) The Bulldogs have sewn up the division on the first Saturday of November in consecutive years; and given the recruiting dominance of Smart and his staff, this might be UGA's least experienced team of the next five years.
c) With the victory, UGA (8-1 overall, 6-1 in SEC ... No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings) has advanced to the next stage of being a national-title contender:
Handling three eminently beatable foes over the next three weeks (Auburn, UMass, Georgia Tech), in preparation for the SEC title game in Atlanta.
The Dawgs' Dec. 1 opponent could be known as early as Saturday night, if top-ranked Alabama beats LSU on the road and clinches the SEC West crown.
UGA / SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HISTORY
2002: Georgia 30, Arkansas 3
2003: LSU 34, Georgia 13
2005: Georgia 34, LSU 14
2011: LSU 42, Georgia 10
2012: Alabama 32, Georgia 28
2017: Georgia 28, Auburn 7
