The SEC used to be predictable not so long ago. LSU or Auburn would occasionally jump up to rival or defeat Alabama, or at least be a solid #2 to them. In the East, Georgia simply ruled as everyone else just seemed to try and get their act together.

This year, to be brutally honest, there really is no number two in the SEC West. Don’t be stupid and point to Texas A&M, a team Alabama beat the absolute stew out of earlier 52-24. They weren’t a competitive team against Alabama then and they aren’t now. In the West, there’s Alabama and then six dwarves to take a page from Snow White.

Then in the East, Florida didn’t just win the title of front runner from Georgia, they ripped it from them and took their girlfriends home with them after the game. That 44-28 beating left no doubt who is best in that side of the league. Kirby desperately needs a great quarterback at Georgia.

So is the East Florida and the other six dwarves? At least there are some signs of competition with Arkansas seemingly getting better every week since their opening day loss to Georgia.

But the big question in everyone’s mind right now is, can Florida be competitive against Alabama? Or is the a league of Alabama and the 13 dwarves?

Remember, Florida’s only loss was to a team that Alabama solidly trashed, Texas A&M. And though A&M merely nipped Florida in a close 41-38 contest, keep in mind A&M wasn’t close in any aspect to Alabama.

Georgia wasn’t as blown out as the score may indicate. Had Bennett been able to hit wide open receivers who would have scored easy touchdowns, the game could have been different. Those are exactly the kinds of passes that Mac Jones at Alabama doesn’t miss. And without trying to trash Georgia, if those receivers can get that open against Florida, Alabama will have a field day day with the talent they will have running routes through the Gator secondary and as stated before, Jones won’t miss them.

Alabama lost one of their premier players in Jaylen Waddle, one of the nation’s most electric players, yet their team hasn’t missed a beat or lost a step. As the season wears on and other teams lose players, it will only widen the gap between where Alabama is and the others are.

Florida may arguably be the second best team in the SEC, some may say A&M is, but neither are up to Alabama’s explosiveness on offense. With Alabama’s defense now seemingly coming together, it could only widen the gap.

Clearly Alabama is the space where Clemson used to sit, they rule their league and then there was everybody else. Clemson proved they are one player from being just another good team and not champions. This past Saturday without their star quarterback, Clemson seemed like just another team, not a championship team. Alabama has proven they can lose one of their best and continue the march without missing a step.

Looking at the remainder of Alabama’s schedule seriously, here’s what you’ll see:

LSU – A pathetic copy of a once proud team that became a joke this season.

Kentucky – A two win team like LSU that was better last season.

Auburn – A lucky four win season only because of bad calls with a quarterback that is often his own worst enemy.

Arkansas – An up and comer getting stronger each week in play and resolve, but still not close to to being in the rarified air of beating a national championship contender.

Then there’s Florida in the SEC Championship Game – A team that’s good, opportunistic but without the defense needed to even begin to slow that Alabama offense. They’ll get their licks in, but will be buried in a track meet.

So there it is, the alignment of the SEC, everything SEC fans used to make fun of the ACC about. One king and a bunch of little servants. It’s not really that the SEC is bad this season, it’s just that this edition of the Alabama Crimson Tide, could truly be of Nick Saban’s best and you know what a measuring stick that is. If there is a bowl season, the SEC will do well, Alabama should do fantastically well.

Larry Burton is the senior writer at Touchdown Alabama Magazine and has been published in almost every media outlet for college sports. He was Bleacher Report’s #1 college football writer in reads and comments and now has slowed down his writing from that hectic pace. Follow Larry on Twitter for inside thoughts and game time comments at twitter.com/LBSportswriter