Georgia Football will start the season ranked in a similar position as it started 2016.
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The coaches preseason poll came out today and Georgia Football found itself in a similar position. It was ranked #15 to start the season. That puts UGA one position ahead of it’s primary rival for the SEC East the Florida Gators. Georgia was rated as the #16 team going into last season in the preseason. Considering the fact that Georgia returns a very similar team to last year, the ranking seems very fair.
Georgia comes in as the 4th ranked team in the SEC. Alabama tops the overall poll at #1 despite losing the national championship game to Clemson last year. LSU and Auburn also come in ahead of UGA at #12 and #13 respectively. Auburn as the highest ranked team that UGA are scheduled to play in 2017. Tennessee is the final SEC team to be ranked and comes in at #24.
The initial ranking has never been a big issue for Georgia. What they have struggled with so much of the past 10 years in the final one. Since 2008, Georgia has finished the season lower than it started in the poll 6 times. It has climbed the rankings only 3 times.
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There’s no surprise for me on this poll. Having finished the season 8-5, #15 sounds about right. Like most fans, I am hoping that this will be a year where Georgia climb up the rankings. The fact that so few of UGA’s opponents this year are in this poll is also a good sign. Georgia does seem to have a very winnable schedule this year, hopefully that helps the dawgs take the SEC East.