There are a few teams who will always be a serious threat to Georgia. Most of those teams are in the SEC, but there are a few others scattered throughout the country.
Recently however the one team that is in Georgia's way the most is Ohio State.
Georgia and the Buckeyes haven't battled on the field since the College Football Playoff semifinals during the Bulldogs second National Championship under Kirby Smart, but they are still a force to be reckoned. Similarly to Georgia they are a team that should always make the playoff and have a good chance at winning it all.
Ohio State shared a big announcement on Tuesday as they extended defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. On paper this looks like a smart move that has nothing to do with Georgia, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
NEW: Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia will make $3.75 million in 2026, making him the highest-paid assistant in the country💰
— On3 (@On3) March 10, 2026
It's a three-year deal that jumps to $3.85M in Year 2.
(h/t @BillLandis25)https://t.co/ZH7AbulyZJ pic.twitter.com/XfeWaY0Jqs
Ohio State's extension of Matt Patricia is the best thing possible for Georgia
Extending Patricia was the right choice for Ohio State. The Buckeyes had one of the top defenses in the country last year who on their own were capable of winning any game for OSU. But they didn't win every game, and that is why this decision isn't such a bad thing for Georgia.
When Ohio State played on the biggest stages last season they failed. They finished the regualr season 12-0, but they quickly added two losses in the postseason by losing to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship game and Miami in the CFP quarterfinals. In that matchup against Miami the Ohio State defense did not have their best performance as they gave up 24 points to a Carson Beck led offense.
There isn't a guarantee that Georgia will play Ohio State in the playoff, but if they do Patricia hasn't proven that he can handle the bright lights. The hope now is that this trend will continue, especially if Ohio State and Georgia do ever play in the playoff.
Georgia and Ohio State are scheduled to begin a home and home series in 2030 though, so at some point the Bulldogs may face an Ohio State defense led by Patricia.