The Georgia Bulldogs lost their first game of the season in the SEC Championship, costing them a spot in the College Football Playoff.
SportsGrid has more on the Bulldogs defeat.
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1. The College Football Playoff Committee Got it Wrong
Throughout the years of the College Football Playoff committee, more often than not, there have been angry fan bases after the final four have been announced. That was no different in 2023 after Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama were announced as the four playoff teams. The committee left out an undefeated Power-Five champ in Florida State, mainly due to Jordan Travis‘s injury. There’s a definite gripe for Seminoles fans. Still, the committee ranked Florida State at No. 5, while the Bulldogs dropped from No. 1 to No. 6. If the committee deemed Alabama one of the four best teams and left out Florida State, how does that logic not apply to the Bulldogs? If the committee uses this logic, the Bulldogs should have been ranked higher than the Seminoles. The committee criteria mention picking the best four teams in the country. Despite multiple deserving teams, we find it hard to believe the Bulldogs aren’t one of those teams after a three-point neutral field loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship. The Bulldogs and Seminoles are scheduled to collide in the Orange Bowl, and Georgia is listed as a 13-point point favorite. If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know, nothing will.
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2. Defensive Line Struggled for Bulldogs
If you want to know the most significant difference between the Georgia Bulldogs back-to-back championship teams and this one, it likely lies in the defensive line. The Bulldogs couldn’t get the pressure they’d been accustomed to and couldn’t stop the run at the same time. Alabama’s run game might not have been the difference in the SEC Championship, but it was a clear weak spot for a Georgia team that dared Jalen Milroe to win with his arm and scrambling ability. Georgia remains one of the most talented teams in the country, but this is an area they’ll need to address within the transfer portal and recruiting process in the offseason.
3. Veterans Left it All Out There
Three players crucial to the Bulldogs’ recent success, Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey, and Kendall Milton, left everything they had on the field in Atlanta. Bowers and McConkey were sporting known injuries, yet still gutted it out down the stretch and tried to make a difference in the SEC title game. Had they been fully healthy, you might have seen a different result, but every team is beaten up at this time of year, so it’s hardly an excuse for Georgia. Bowers and McConkey were nowhere near 100% in this matchup, and their abilities were crucial to the Bulldogs’ offense, which was one of the best in the country. Regardless of the result, you must be impressed at the culture Kirby Smart has built in Georgia, highlighted by a team-first mentality.
