Having Georgia ranked behind Clemson, the team they beat soundly last year, seems like a joke. The Bulldogs are at No. 5 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll, and the fact that Texas is at No. 1 makes this ranking seem like more of a snub. Did beating Texas twice last season not count for anything?
Or, could this preseason ranking be more of a reality check? Georgia fans will of course debate this ranking until the season starts in a couple weeks, but it bears taking a look at what this means now. Is Georgia not getting the respect it likely deserves, or are AP voters merely disregarding past success for this new season?
Texas has been getting plenty of hype with the Arch Manning show coming into fullness. Their No. 1 ranking reflects that hype. On the other hand, Georgia being ranked ahead of Alabama and LSU seems fair at this point in time. So, while UGA has some respect, it's clear that the current ranking doesn't seem to care about two national championships three years ago.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results
An SEC championship last season, over Texas, also doesn't seem to matter to AP voters this year. Georgia fans may need to steel themselves for a good solid year with one or two losses, maybe even three. Except for a solid half of a game, the Bulldogs are starting a fairly untested quarterback, have a young, inexperienced offensive line, and a defense that lost nine players to the NFL.
So maybe there are some good reasons why Georgia ended up at No. 5 in the country.
Can Kirby Smart use this as motivation for his young team? While past performance for financial stocks may not guarantee future results, Smart has shown remarkable talent for getting the most production and success out of each team he has coached. Preseason polls are great for fans to chatter and argue about, but they become instantly meaningless with the first kickoff. What happens with Georgia will be worth watching every week.