ATHENS — The 2023 season ended with a controversial champion, an outgoing coaching legend and a lot of what-ifs for Georgia football.

SEC network star Chris Doering sat in studio watching every league game all season and was among those disappointed Kirby Smart’s program didn’t get an opportunity to win what would have been a third-straight national championship.

“The worst thing that could have happened for the conference in general was to have Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC Championship Game,” Doering said on Monday night.

“I think Georgia was a more viable contender to win it all this year.”

There could be some revisionist history at work before all is said and done with Nick Saban retiring from his post with the Crimson Tide.

Saban has tried to spin the story of his team’s great improvement after losing at home to Texas by 10 points in September.

But Doering, and many others, witnessed Georgia go 12-0 during the regular season and extend a win streak to 29 games before limping into the SEC title game banged up.

The Bulldogs played three consecutive Top 25 teams — including two teams (Missouri, Ole Miss) that would have been in the CFP playoff had it been expanded to 12 teams this season.

“Alabama certainly handled business on that one day in Atlanta,” Doering said, referring to the Tide’s 27-24 win over Georgia, “but I think in terms of the matchup with Michigan, (Georgia) probably a much better fit for winning that game.

“You look at the way Michigan disposed of Washington, Alabama played them more competitively and had more success at the line of scrimmage, but I just think Alabama is not the same matchup that Georgia would have provided.”

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Georgia finished the season ranked No. 3 (Coaches) and No. 4 (AP) in the polls, but the Bulldogs topped the Vegas odds to win it all next season and were a preseason No. 1 in early rankings even before Saban announced his retirement.

Ole Miss won 11 games for the first time in school history, and the Rebels only losses came to Alabama and Georgia.

Missouri beat Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl New Year’s Six game, capping off a season that saw Eli Drinkwitz named SEC Coach of the Year.

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LSU produced the Heisman Trophy winner in Jayden Daniels, but Doering pointed out things could have been better.

“That LSU offense was fantastic ….,” said Doering, who played at Florida and held the SEC TD receptions record for 25 years. “I feel like a generational offense was wasted because of how bad their defense was.”

Alabama is desperate to find a replacement for Saban, who leaves such big shoes to fill that the job might not be as attractive as many believe. Dan Lanning was the first to publicly turn it down, and others have quietly been passing.

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Florida had a rough 5-7 season and the offseason isn’t any easier, as the Gators are losing players in the transfer portal, including marquee tailback Trevor Etienne who is coming to Georgia

“A lot of folks nervous about the future of the Florida program,” Doering said. " The attrition through the portal and the number of losses of key players is something that has stood out to me.”