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ATHENS — Kirby Smart has said this Georgia football team has been “a thrill a minute” as the regular season reaches its halfway point.

The Bulldogs (6-0, 3-0 SEC) have set a new SEC record for continuous weeks at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll while running up a school-record 23 consecutive victories.

And yet, Georgia has had to come from 10 points down in two of its three SEC games to date, against South Carolina (14-3) and Auburn (10-0), no less.

“I don’t think the SEC is as top heavy as they have been right now,” SEC legend Tim Tebow said last weekend in Athens. “But it’s got a lot of good teams.”

Tebow pointed out that from one week to the next a team can show Top 25 ability, such as Auburn.

“Auburn hasn’t had the best year, but if you look three hours (against UGA) Saturday afternoon at Jordan-Hare, that’s a team that was playing like a Top 25 team,” Tebow said, referencing Georgia’s 27-20 win over the Tigers.

“That team that played with Hugh Freeze calling the plays, with that style at home, that team beats a lot of good football teams in the country.”

Former Alabama and NFL Super Bowl safety Roman Harper, like Tebow a member of the SEC Nation team, said top teams will continue to separate themselves.

“Good teams always find ways to win games and find ways to get better as the season progresses,” Harper said. “They don’t ever look the same or stay the same.”

With that, a look at this week’s SEC Power Rankings, as determined by this author:

SEC Power Rankings

Tier One

Georgia: The Bulldogs flexed their muscle in 51-13 win over previously unbeaten Kentucky.

Alabama: Tide defense shuts down A&M on the road, plants flag atop West Division.

Ole Miss: Rebels defense steps up with 5 sacks, 2 turnovers in win over Arkansas.

Tier Two

Texas A&M: Aggies put SEC’s top run defense against Tennessee’s SEC-leading rush offense.

LSU: Bayou Bengals rally for shootout win at Missouri, control their own destiny in West.

Tennessee: Vols come off bye looking to defend Rocky Top from Aggies invasion.

Tier Three

Missouri: Explosive Missouri offense keys Coach Eli Drinkwitz’s fourth season.

Arkansas: Sam Pittman’s Hogs can’t seem to catch a scheduling break, head to Tuscaloosa.

Auburn: Tigers come off bye week heading into intriguing matchup at LSU.

Kentucky: Mark Stoops was pretty direct, Cats fans must ante up to compete for titles.

South Carolina: Spencer Rattler looks to get back on track, avenge last year’s 38-6 loss in Swamp.

Florida: Gators have dropped 9 straight to SEC East teams away from of Gainesville.

Tier Four

Mississippi State: Maroon Bulldogs get a much-needed break after handling Western Michigan 41-28.

Vanderbilt: Commodores look to score their first TD against Georgia since 2018.

Mike Griffith NFF/Super 16 ballot

1. Georgia

2. Michigan

3. Washington

4. Oregon

5. Oklahoma

6. Texas

7. Alabama

8. Florida State

9. Ohio State

10. Ole Miss

11. Penn State

12. North Carolina

13. Louisville

14. Oregon State

15. USC

16. LSU