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Welcome to the first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
In anticipation of the first four-round postseason in college football history, we’re counting down the playoff-bound teams as the season approaches. The top five conference champions as ranked by the CFP selection committee will make the playoffs, and the rest of the field will consist of seven teams that will make the at-large round. Who will hoist the national championship trophy on Jan. 20 in Atlanta?
Previous previews: issues 25-13, No. 12 Boise State, No. 11 Utah, No. 10 Florida State, No. 9 Missouri, No. 8 Michigan, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 5 Alabama, No. 4 Texas, No. 3 Oregon
No. 2 Georgia
2023 Record: 13-1, 8-0 SEC
Last season in 100 words or less
The SEC championship game derailed the Bulldogs’ hopes for a national title. Georgia went through the regular season undefeated and had just one one-possession win. That came at Auburn when the Bulldogs beat the Tigers 27-20 on the road.
Missouri gave Georgia a game late in the season, but the Bulldogs’ talent made it clear who the better team was in the second half. A week later, Georgia demolished Ole Miss in a game that solidified Georgia’s place atop the SEC. However, the Bulldogs were dethroned three weeks later when they lost to Alabama 27-24 in the SEC title game. That loss dropped Georgia to No. 5 in the CFP rankings and they took out their frustrations on Florida State with a 63-3 win.
Why can Georgia make the playoffs?
It will be an absolute surprise if the Bulldogs don’t make the playoffs. Georgia has a tough schedule (more on that later), but this team is too talented to miss out on an expanded playoffs. And it’s likely too motivated to miss out after what happened last season.
Carson Beck emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in college football last season, throwing for nearly 4,000 yards. He could be a Heisman winner and the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Especially if Georgia sweeps the SEC.
Four starters return to an offensive line that could be dominant in 2024. The strength of the line will help open up holes for Georgia’s running backs as the team needs to replace its top two backs from 2023. Former Florida running back Trevor Etienne figures to be the top back after rushing for 1,472 yards in two seasons with the Gators, but backup Roderick Robinson will miss the start of the season after needing toe surgery. Branson Robinson should also get carries.
Replacing Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey is paramount, and the task just got a little tougher with the release of Rara Thomas this summer following his arrest. Former Missouri WR Dominic Lovett was the team’s second-leading receiver in 2023 with 54 catches for 613 yards. He’ll likely be the No. 1 option, but there’s still plenty of talent behind him. Dillon Bell has shown he can help both on the ground and as a pass catcher, while Oscar Delp could have a bigger role in the passing game.
The defensive line was fairly young in 2023 and still very good. Think about how good it will be in 2024, with Mykel Williams, Warren Brinson and others having another year of experience. Smael Mondon leads the linebacking corps, while Malaki Starks heads up the secondary. Georgia’s defense has allowed fewer than 20 points per game in six of the past seven seasons and it’s hard to see how that trend won’t continue.
Key player
The former Miami receiver comes to Athens with a chance to play a significant role in 2024. Young had multiple receptions in every game last season for the Hurricanes, as he finished with 47 catches for 563 yards and five touchdowns.
Now that Thomas is no longer in the Bulldogs’ crosshairs and Bowers is in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders, there are opportunities for players like Young and others to build on Beck’s excellence. We have no doubt that Georgia can adequately replace what it lost in Bowers and McConkey, given the talent Kirby Smart and his staff have amassed.
The biggest game
The SEC schedule gods didn’t give the Bulldogs a break in 2024. We opted for the Alabama game in Week 5 over a trip to Texas in October and a visit to Ole Miss in November. Yes, Georgia could play road games against three playoff teams this season.
The advantage is that Georgia will play those games at home in 2025, but that has no bearing on this season. This is the most talented team in the SEC and should be back in the game for the conference title. And unlike last season, Georgia shouldn’t have to worry about a title game loss keeping it from making the playoffs.
