When it comes to the expanded College Football Playoff, the haves tend to separate from the have nots much easier than you would expect. While we are going to get some new teams into the playoff field next year, the usual suspects of Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, and Texas will probably be a part of it. There are other teams in and around the bona-fide lock zone to get in, but you get the picture…
However, I do not think we can expect for Georgia to be ranked at the top of the first AP Top 25 Poll to start. In time, the Dawgs may earn that No. 1 overall ranking, but last year was a bit of a chaotic one for Kirby Smart’s team. Yes, the Dawgs played a brutal SEC schedule, but came up limp in the Sugar Bowl vs. Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish went on to play for the national championship before falling.
So what I want to do today is to forecast in and around I think Georgia will be ranked to start next college football season. I cannot in good faith say they will be deserving of the No. 1 ranking. I will say that I would be utterly shocked if they are not ranked somewhere comfortably inside of the top 10. So between No. 1 and No. 10, where is the most likely ranking for the Dawgs to fall before autumn starts?
We have to begin with any number of teams we know for certain will be ranked ahead of them to start.
Right now, I can definitively say that Georgia will be ranked behind at least three teams. Those teams would be Ohio State, Penn State and Texas. Ohio State just won the national championship. Penn State and Texas made it to the national semifinals. While the Buckeyes have to replace Will Howard under center, Penn State still has Drew Allar and it will be The Arch Manning Show in Austin this year.
I would argue that those three teams are the strongest locks to make the College Football Playoff next season. Fortunately for Dawg Nation, I have Georgia in the next cluster of borderline locks with four other teams. Those teams are Clemson, Notre Dame, Oregon and of course, Georgia. If I had to put one of them ahead of Georgia, it would be Clemson. I cannot put all three ahead of Georgia either.
Right now, I would probably say Georgia could be ranked as high as No. 4, but no longer than No. 6. I think splitting the difference and having the Dawgs starting out as the No. 5 team in the land behind Ohio State, Texas, Penn State and Clemson in that order feels the most right to me. After the Dawgs, I would have Oregon over Notre Dame in the top seven. From there, it would be about who all is top 10?
As a three-loss team breaking in a new quarterback, I would be okay with Georgia being ranked No. 5.
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