First downs

STATEMENT SATURDAY? On July 20, Alabama and Georgia combined for 262 of a possible 284 first-place votes in an SEC preseason poll. Makes one wonder why we even played the season. Three months later, that’s who will play for the title — and at least one playoff spot — Dec. 1. Convincing wins got rid of the final pretenders. Alabama not only shut out LSU, 29-0 (incredibly, its fourth shutout of the Tigers in Death Valley in 22 years), it held the No. 4 team to 12 yards rushing. Georgia took on the No. 10 defense in FBS and put up 34 points and 444 yards on a Kentucky team that was allowing just 13 and 295. See you in Atlanta.

DABO SWINNEY has made a statement both loud and subtle. Since Oct. 6, No. 2 Clemson has scored 220 points in four games through a 77-16 rout of Louisville. The statement is in the how, not the what. Take away the pass? The Tigers eclipsed 400 yards rushing vs. Wake Forest and Louisville. Take away the run? They surpassed 380 yards passing vs. N.C. State and Florida State. Should Pitt take down Virginia Tech next week, Pitt fans should keep this in mind before beginning the “We Want Clemson” chant.

UGLY POLITICS is everywhere. James Carville — Democratic power broker and LSU superfan — questioned SEC commissioner Greg Sankey’s impartiality in the half-game suspension of star LB Devin White ahead of the Alabama-LSU game on ESPN’s “College GameDay.” Shortly thereafter, ESPN issued an on-air apology to Sankey. Tweeted Carville later: “I see gutless ESPN cut in their show to bow down to the SEC. “He then added: They “still can’t help but suck up to power.”