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Georgia Football ranked No. 18 in first AP Poll

By Clay Cribbs

Nov 14, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs players huddle on the field during the third quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium. Georgia won 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Georgia Bulldogs players huddle on the field during the third quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Jordan Hare Stadium. Georgia won 20-13. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports /
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The first Associated Press Top 25 Poll was released over the weekend, and Georgia Football finds themselves comfortably inside the top 20.

Related Story: 2016 Georgia Football game-by-game previews and predictions

The Bulldogs will open the season ranked No. 18, as the fifth highest ranked team in the Southeastern Conference. Georgia falls behind top-ranked Alabama, fifth ranked LSU, ninth ranked Tennessee, and Ole Miss who comes in at 11.

In a lot of ways, the ranking seems appropriate. With a new coach, as well as questions at quarterback, wide receiver and both offensive and defensive lines, Georgia faces lots of potential problems.

However, it seems that Georgia also has the talent level to be successful in the national landscape. These mixed factors leave a bit of uncertainty to the Bulldogs, which seem to warrant their middle of the pack ranking.

To win the SEC East and make it to Atlanta, Georgia will have to navigate a tricky schedule. In all, Georgia has four games against teams in the preseason top 25.

Alabama is No. 1 in the AP Poll and for good reason. They return a lot of talent from a team that won the National Championship last season. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Alabama is No. 1 in the AP Poll and for good reason. They return a lot of talent from a team that won the National Championship last season. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /

Georgia opens up with No. 22 ranked North Carolina inside the Georgia Dome. Just three weeks later, they will travel to Oxford to take on No. 11 Ole Miss.

The difficult span of the schedule continues as Georgia enters October, No. 9 Tennessee comes to town – a matchup that could determine the SEC East.

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The last preseason top 25 matchup for the Bulldogs is the matchup with the Florida Gators, who round out the AP Poll in the final spot.

In all, the SEC has six teams that are inside the top 25, the most of any conference. Conference members Texas A&M, Auburn and Arkansas also received votes from media members. The top 10 however is much more diverse, with all five Power-5 conferences being represented.

Clemson and Florida State represent the ACC, ranked at two and four respectively. Oklahoma is the standard for the Big 12, coming in at number three. Ohio State and Michigan check in for the Big 10 at six and seven. Stanford represents the Pac-12 at number eight. Notre Dame rounds out the top ten.

This poll also showed large amounts of uncertainty in regards to whom the top team should be. While Alabama claimed the top spot and the most first place votes, each of the top seven teams received at least one first place vote.

If this poll indicates anything for the 2016-2017 season, we may see a very different looking poll come January. View the full AP Top 25 Poll here.

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