Dawn of the Dawg
Fansided

Georgia Football: Dawgs #1 in AP Pre-season Poll

By Max Tolbert

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 09: Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates with his players after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at SoFi Stadium on January 09, 2023 in Inglewood, California. Georgia defeated TCU 65-7. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 09: Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates with his players after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at SoFi Stadium on January 09, 2023 in Inglewood, California. Georgia defeated TCU 65-7. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

For the second time in Georgia Football history, Georgia is a pre-season number one. The first time it happened was in 2008 and we all know how that went. Times are a little different, however.

These pre-season polls do not mean anything when the season starts and really not one ranking means anything until October when the playoff committee comes out. These polls are a barometer of what the expectations are for a team. Georgia is expected to be back in the playoffs and for that matter play for another national title.

2017 Alabama and 2004 USC are the only AP pre-season #1 who went on to win a national title in this century. On another hand, there have only been two teams who were pre-season number one to miss the playoffs. 2015 Ohio State and 2022 Alabama.

Here is the AP Pre-season Top 10

  1. Georgia
  2. Michigan
  3. Ohio State
  4. Alabama
  5. LSU
  6. USC
  7. Penn State
  8. FSU
  9. Clemson
  10. Washington

Of course, Texas (#11) and Notre Dame (#13) are all in the top 15. They always are regardless of the decade or the past season they have had. Tennessee was actually ranked correctly at 12. Good for the AP poll for taking a stand against narratives this offseason!

Tennessee and Ole Miss are the only ranked teams Georgia will face as of right now on their schedule. If Georgia goes on to win the east and a trip to Atlanta in the SEC Championship, they could potentially face LSU or Alabama who are both ranked in the top 5.

People can make what they will out of that stat. It’s not Georgia’s fault over half of the SEC East is in shambles. Well, maybe it is because everyone is trying to catch up and Kirby keeps widening the gap.

The key stat here is that No team ranked #1 AP Preseason has finished lower than 5th in Final AP. Georgia should go on to have a good season if history holds true. Which usually it does. But if Georgia finishes #5 will the fanbase be happy? I would be extremely disappointed if this team did not make the playoffs at the very least.

Home/Georgia Football