Georgia football has done it again — the Dawgs are in the driver’s seat to win back-to-back national championships. After going 12-0 again, Georgia controls its destiny in what could wind up being one of the lightest playoff fields since the beginning of the four-team layout.
Is this a curse or a blessing for the Dawgs?
There will be no second SEC team, Alabama isn’t in the SEC Championship equation, and the three other teams that could bid for a playoff spot are all intriguing matchups for Georgia. With all these things to consider, it gives the Dawgs a significant chance to repeat as national champions.
Now that ending will not come easily for the Dawgs, but there is a way for Georgia to do it. One of the biggest things is focused and not letting the No.1 ranking, their experience, and any other thing distracts the Dawgs. Everyone will be ready for Georgia and want to tear them down, but if anyone can keep their guys focused, it’s head coach Kirby Smart.
Georgia football can and should win back-to-back national championships.
Of course, the first thing to focus on is LSU and winning the SEC Championship, but at this point, win or lose in Atlanta, the Dawgs are in the playoff.
Staying focused and demoralizing the Bayou Bengals would be a great start, and it would be something last year’s team didn’t accomplish. That goal is at the forefront, as it should be, because the Dawgs are genuinely the best team in the SEC, so that trophy should come back to Athens.
After that, Smart will have a month to prepare for a showdown against these possible teams: Michigan, TCU, USC and Ohio State. There may be others, but chaos would have to happen for anyone other than the Wolverines, Horned Frogs, and Trojans to be the other three playoff teams.
Georgia’s defense is something none of these teams have seen this year. Those three/four teams are all high-powered offenses that are explosive. However, Georgia is too, and their defense matches their explosiveness. The Dawgs will make the team one-dimensional quicker than an alum can sing the alma mater song. That defense is elite and only gives up around 11 points a game.
While those teams will give Georgia a fight, the Dawgs have so much more dimension to their team. The focus, resilience, and determination to finish strong will take Georgia far — they must keep that energy level, though. Smart knows what it takes to win a national championship, and many players do. They should use that experience to their advantage and win this playoff while it’s wide open.
Georgia football has to play its game and shut out the noise. As simple as that sounds, it’s what the Dawgs need to do to be successful. When the Dawgs click on all cylinders and play as one, they are a tough squad to beat, and the rest of these contenders are simply not on Georgia’s level.