Georgia is in the College Football Playoffs for the fifth time overall and the fourth time over the past five years. The Bulldogs received their entry into the CFP by beating Alabama 28-7 to win the SEC Championship.
With the win, Georgia received the No. 3 seed, earning a first-round bye in the 12-team bracket. The Bulldogs will play the winner of the Ole Miss-Tulane game in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday, January 1 at 8 p.m. (ET). ESPN will handle the broadcast.
THE CFP BRACKET IS SET 🏆
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) December 7, 2025
• Indiana vs. Oklahoma/Alabama
• Ohio State vs. Texas A&M/Miami
• Georgia vs. Ole Miss/Tulane
• Texas Tech vs. Oregon/JMU
OUT: Notre Dame, BYU pic.twitter.com/OZQgkshMih
Historically, the No. 3 seed has struggled
Overall, the No. 3 seed is 6-10 in the CFP with one team winning the championship from that seed (more on that later). In the early history of the CFP, the No. 3 seed was doomed. The first-ever No. 3 seed was Florida State and the Seminoles lost 59-20 to Oregon in the CFP semifinals. The next two No. 3 seeds, Ohio State and Michigan State, respectfully, were outscored by a combined 69-0 in the CFP semifinals.
And historically, the No. 3 had been on the bad end of the CFP's worst blowouts (more on that later too). But the No. 3 seed has had more success in recent years and Georgia is a big part of that.
Georgia's history with the No. 3 seed
The first No. 3 seed to win a CFP game? Georgia in 2017-18. The Bulldogs beat Oklahoma 54-48 in double overtime at the 2018 Rose Bowl. Georgia went out to play Alabama in the CFP championship and dominated the game for a half until Tua Tagovailoa happened. Yeah, we don't have to talk about it.
But revenge was sweet in 2021 when the Bulldogs were the No. 3 seed again. This time, Georgia knocked off Michigan in the Orange Bowl and then took down the Crimson Tide, 33-18, in the championship game a week and a half later to win the Bulldogs' first national title since 1980.
Remember when I said the No. 3 seed has been the victim of the worst blowouts in CFP history? Well, the worst of the worst happened a year later when Georgia beat TCU 65-7, and yes, the Horned Frogs were the No. 3 seed. Funny how life works sometimes.