There was a time, early in the fourth quarter, when the headline of this game was easy to figure out: Both division races were now two-team contests, with South Carolina the only opponent Florida would have to fear and Arkansas identifying itself as the clearest challenger to Alabama.
Then, the last 10 minutes happened. Georgia scored twice and turned a 24-10 game into a tie until a last-minute TD proved to be one too many big plays allowed by the Dawgs defense.
So do we give Georgia credit for the rally that almost gave them a hard-fought win? Or look at the defensive and offensive problems that almost had them lose in a rout? Are the East and West both two-team divisions, or does Georgia still have a chance in the East despite being 0-2, while Arkansas is just another one of the teams trying to prove they're almost as good as the Tide?
For Arkansas, the question will be answered next week. The defense that gave up 392 yards to Georgia will have to be replaced for the entire game by the defense that made a few good plays. And the running game will have to gain more than 53 yards, unless Ryan Mallett can play football with five broken bones.
Then again, the forecast for Georgia might also be much clearer in a week or three. The Dawgs go to Mississippi State next week and get A.J. Green back for the trip to Colorado before facing Tennessee in Athens. If we're still asking if the Dawgs are in the race for the East after those games, they're probably not.