The Georgia Bulldogs reign supreme atop the AP football rankings, but they were nearly knocked off their perch on Saturday against a feisty Missouri side that had no business giving them fits. They eventually won the game, 26-22, but they could have easily lost the game had a few plays turned the other way.

The Bulldogs needed to comeback from a double-figure deficit after a field goal at the 14:09 mark of the 4th quarter put the Tigers up by 10.  The defense was able to finally lock in and keep the Missouri side scoreless as the offense laid down two touchdowns to take the lead and win it.

After the game, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was completely candid about the close call. According to him, there are simply no cakewalks in the SEC.

Via Alabama.com’s Mark Heim:

“It’s hard in the SEC, guys,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said after the game. “I’ve been in this league a long time. There’s nothing easy about the SEC. When you go on the road in the SEC, you better be prepared.”

Georgia football QB Stetson Bennett was far from his best in the contest. He tallied 312 yards on a 24-for-43 clip while failing to record a single touchdown. The Bulldogs were limited to just four field goals of offense in the first three quarters and were held scoreless in the opening frame.

“He didn’t play his best game,” Smart said of Bennett. “He’ll be the first person to tell you that, but give Missouri some credit. These kids came out here and fought today. When you play on the road in the SEC, I say it all the time, ‘it’s one of the tough places to play.’”

Nevertheless, a championship team manages to win even when they’re not firing on all cylinders. That’s exactly what Georgia managed to do as they look to keep hold of the college football crown.