Kirby Smart is the man to beat for SEC coach of the year.

But if Smart’s Bulldogs (7-0, 5-0) stumble before the College Football Playoff, or if voters are just desperate for a plucky underdog story, other candidates would come into play.

On this edition of “SEC Football Unfiltered,” a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams debate the top candidates who could threaten Smart for SEC coach of the year.

Stay connected on Twitter with Blake (@btoppmeyer) and John (@JohnAdamsKNS) and stay up to date on SEC football news by subscribing to KnoxNews: knoxnews.com/subscribe.