Can anyone beat Georgia? A look at remaining opponents and College Football Playoff contenders
When you’ve lifted the ultimate trophy 10 months earlier and danced with cigars in mouths and confetti falling, winning the SEC East is just kind of nice.
That "was a slight celebration," Georgia football defensive lineman Tramel Walthour said of the response after the Bulldogs 45-19 win at Mississippi State Saturday.
"We’ve got bigger goals ahead of us," coach Kirby Smart said this week.
It’s why wide receiver Kearis Jackson spoke about putting team before self when he met the media in what used to be the Bulldogs team meeting room before they moved into a bigger, better building.
"I’m trying to put numbers on those walls," Jackson said.
He pointed to his left where the years of Georgia’s conference championships are listed and to his right where the division titles are listed. Although 2022 was not yet adorned.
In the hallway outside are national championship team photos including for 2021.
There’s work to be done for adding a 2022 team photo on there.
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Top-ranked Georgia is winning by an average of 30.0 points per game and fended off some uneasy moments against Missouri, Florida and Mississippi State.
At 10-0, the Bulldogs are in prime position to make it back to the College Football Playoff, likely even with one loss.
Georgia has won 28 of its last 29 games dating back to the 2020 season.
Can anyone ding Georgia this season?
Let’s take a look at those who will take their shots and some that could be waiting in the four-team playoff:
Kentucky
Snapshot: The Wildcats, 6-4 overall, look headed for their third losing SEC record in the last four seasons. Quite a tumble from being ranked as high as No. 7 in the AP poll after a 4-0 start to the season. Rank 107th nationally in total offense at 339.5 yards per game.
Best win: At Florida, 26-16 Sept. 10.
Worst loss: Home to Vanderbilt 24-21 last Saturday
Top NFL prospect: QB Will Levis (No. 3 overall Pro Football Focus)
Games remaining: vs. Georgia, Saturday, vs. Louisville Nov. 26
Bowl projection by USA Today: vs. Utah Dec. 17 in Las Vegas Bowl
Path to beat Georgia from Ryan Black who covers Kentucky for the Louisville Courier-Journal: Will Levis and the aerial attack, combined with star running back Chris Rodriguez, will need to be perfect. If its ever steady defense plays up to its normal standard, it just might have the slightest chance to knock off Georgia. (But turnovers from the Bulldogs wouldn’t hurt.)
Georgia Tech
Snapshot: Interim coach Brent Key is 3-3 overall, but those losses have come in three of the last four games. The Yellow Jackets have been to just two bowl games since the Orange Bowl in the 2014 season. At 17.1 points per game, they are 125th in the nation in scoring and have lost their top two quarterbacks.
More: Where this UGA football team can separate itself from the 2021 national championship squad
Best win: At Pittsburgh, 26-21 Oct. 1.
Worst loss: Home to Virginia, 16-9, Oct. 20
Top NFL prospect: Outside linebacker Charlie Thomas (No. 193 overall ESPN’s NFL Scouts Inc.)
Games remaining: at North Carolina Saturday, at Georgia, Nov. 26
Bowl projection by USA Today: None.
Path to beat Georgia from Kelly Quinlan who covers Georgia Tech for JacketsOnline.com: On paper, it looks like an impossible path for Georgia Tech to beat Georgia, especially with the injuries at quarterback to both Jeff Sims and freshman Zach Pyron limiting the offense. The path to a win for the Jackets would involve the defense forcing Stetson Bennett into throwing downfield and Tech creating turnovers and short-field situations and a low-scoring game.
LSU
Snapshot: The hire of Brian Kelly from Notre Dame may have seemed shaky in the offseason in terms of fit, but it looks like a home run now with the Tigers the surprise SEC West champions. Freshman Harold Perkins Jr. is third in the SEC with 7½ sacks. The Tigers have three wins by 4 points or less. A win over Georgia could put LSU in as the first two-loss team in the playoff.
Best win: vs. Alabama, 32-31 in OT, Nov. 5.
Worst loss: vs. Tennessee, 40-13, Oct. 8.
Top NFL prospect: Edge B.J. Ojulari (No. 31 overall The Athletic’s Dane Brugler)
Games remaining: vs. UAB, Nov. 19, at Texas A&M Nov. 26.
Bowl projection by USA Today: vs. Iowa Jan. 2 in Citrus Bowl
Playoff Odds: 5 percent by ESPN’s Playoff Predictor, 15 percent by FiveThirtyEight
Path to beat Georgia from Koki Riley who covers LSU for The Daily Advertiser: Jayden Daniels plays the game of his life and LSU's multitude of talented receivers become too tough to handle for Georgia's secondary. On the flip side, LSU's athletes - such as Harold Perkins - contain Georgia's rushing attack and put constant pressure on Stetson Bennett
Ohio State
Snapshot: The Buckeyes are No. 2 in the nation in scoring and No. 7 in points allowed, joining Georgia and Michigan as the only teams in the top 10. Quarterback C.J. Stroud leads the nation with 34 touchdown passes and tops in pass efficiency at 188.2
Best win: at Penn State 44-31 Oct. 29
Worst loss: None.
Top NFL prospect: Quarterback C.J. Stroud. (No. 4 overall by Pro Football Focus)
Games remaining: at Maryland Saturday, vs. Michigan Nov. 26, possible Big Ten title game Dec. 3.
Playoff Odds: 86 percent by ESPN’s Playoff Predictor, 66 percent by FiveThirtyEight
Bowl projection by USA Today: vs. TCU Dec. 31 in Fiesta Bowl.
Path to beat Georgia from Bill Connelly of ESPN.com: Ohio State ranks fourth in points scored per possession and sixth in points allowed per possession despite key members of the skill corps being hurt. If the Buckeyes are healthy, and if they have indeed fixed the general "manball" weaknesses that Michigan exposed last year (we won't know for sure until they've played Michigan), they have the talent and versatility to beat Georgia and anyone else.
Michigan
Snapshot: The Wolverines have won by an average margin of 30.2 points per game, but have a schedule strength of No. 71 by the Sagarin Ratings. No playoff contender has a rushing attack like Michigan which is fourth in the nation at 251.4 per game. Leads the country in total defense, scoring defense and rushing defense.
Best win: vs. Penn State 41-17 on Oct. 15.
Worst loss: None.
Top NFL prospect: DT Mazi Smith Stroud. (No. 45 overall by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler)
Games remaining: vs. Illinois, Saturday, at Ohio State, Nov. 26, possible Big Ten title game, Dec. 3.
Playoff Odds: 65 percent by ESPN’s Playoff Predictor, 41 percent by FiveThirtyEight
Bowl projection by USA Today: vs. Oregon, Jan. 2 in Rose Bowl
Path to beat Georgia from Bill Connelly of ESPN.com: Last year, Michigan was basically cruiserweight Georgia, attempting to derive a lot of the same advantages as the Dawgs only with less standout talent. They might be even more efficient this year and even more effective on the line of scrimmage, but they still don't make a ton of big plays, and we don't know that they've closed the gap enough.
TCU
Snapshot: Sonny Dykes move from nearby SMU to TCU couldn’t have gone much better so far. The Horned Frogs have found a way to win, pulling out seven wins by 10 or fewer points including 43-40 in double overtime to Oklahoma State. TCU is No. 8 in the nation scoring but No. 55 in points allowed. Quarterback Max Duggan is No. 6 in the nation in pass efficiency and No. 10 with 25 TD passes.
Best win: vs. Kansas State 38-28 on Oct. 22.
Worst loss: None.
Top NFL prospect: CB Tre’vius Hodges-Tomlinson (No. 76 overall, Pro Football Focus)
Games remaining: at Baylor, Nov. 19, vs. Iowa State, Nov. 26, Big 12 title game, Dec. 3.
Playoff Odds: 32 percent by ESPN’s Playoff Predictor, 50 percent by FiveThirtyEight
Bowl projection by USA Today: vs. Ohio State, Dec. 31 in Fiesta Bowl playoff semifinal
Path to beat Georgia from Bill Connelly of ESPN.com: The good thing about TCU facing a team like Georgia is they already sort of play like an underdog — just a super-fast underdog with lots of play-makers. They punish just about any mistake with a huge play (Texas basically made two defensive mistakes all Saturday night and gave up TDs on both), and they get their hands on a lot of passes and create lots of turnover opportunities. They would need plenty of breaks to beat the Dawgs, but they take advantage of whatever breaks they get.
Tennessee
Snapshot: The Volunteers aren’t going to the SEC championship game but they could be sitting relatively pretty at 11-1 on championship weekend. The Volunteers picked up where they left off pre-Georgia by blasting Missouri last Saturday 66-24 Saturday. Hendon Hooker and Jalyn Hyatt lead an offense that leads the nation in scoring at 47.4 points per game.
Best win: at LSU 40-13 on Oct. 8.
Worst (and only) loss: at Georgia 27-13.
Top NFL prospect: Edge Byron Young (No. 47 overall, Pro Football Focus)
Games remaining: at South Carolina, Saturday, at Vanderbilt, Nov. 26.
Playoff Odds: 58 percent by ESPN’s Playoff Predictor, 46 percent by FiveThirtyEight
Bowl projection by USA Today: vs. Kansas State, Dec. 31 in Sugar Bowl
Path to beat Georgia from Adam Sparks of Knoxville News-Sentinel: Tennessee obviously would have a better shot against Georgia at a neutral site. The noise at Sanford Stadium was almost as impactful as Georgia’s defense in their first game. But the biggest problem for the Vols is that they lost one-on-one matchups with Georgia. Tennessee would have to get creative in keeping the pass rush off Hendon Hooker, and its defense would have to force Georgia turnovers to flip field position. Tennessee wouldn’t beat Georgia with the same approach as last time.
Clemson
Snapshot: Clemson is still hanging in as a playoff contender after missing out on the four-team CFP last year for the first time since the 2014 season. The Tigers are 28th in total defense and 71st in passing offense. DJ Uiagalelei is 48th in the nation in pass efficiency and Clemson has turned to backup Cade Klubnik at times for a spark. Myles Murphy has 10 tackles for loss including 5 sacks.
Best win: at Florida State 34-28, Oct. 13.
Worst (and only) loss: at Notre Dame 35-14 Nov. 14.
Top NFL prospect: Edge Myles Murphy (No. 4 overall, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler)
Games remaining: vs. Miami, Saturday, vs. South Carolina, Nov. 26., vs. North Carolina in ACC championship game Dec. 3.
Playoff Odds: 31 percent by ESPN’s Playoff Predictor, 44 percent by FiveThirtyEight
Bowl projection by USA Today: vs. Georgia Dec. 31 in Peach Bowl in national semifinals
Path to beat Georgia from Scott Keepfer of the Greenville News: Clemson would have to get some breaks to knock off Georgia, primarily in the form of turnovers, which is one area in which the Bulldogs are running at a rare deficit this season. The Tigers also would need to get a season-best effort out of a talented defensive front and keep constant pressure on quarterback Stetson Bennett, who has only been sacked seven times this season.
Southern Cal
Snapshot: Lincoln Riley’s jump from Oklahoma to USC was one of the splashiest moves in the last coaching carousel. The roster overhaul included 26 transfers most notably quarterback Caleb Williams from Oklahoma and receiver Jordan Addison from Pitt. The Trojans are third in scoring at 42.4 points per game, tops in the nation in turnover margin but 87th in total defense.
Best win: at Oregon State, 17-14, Sept. 24.
Worst (and only) loss: at Utah 43-42, Oct. 15.
Top NFL prospect: WR Jordan Addison (No. 9 overall, ESPN’s Todd McShay)
Games remaining: at UCLA, Nov. 19, vs. Notre Dame, Nov. 26., possible Pac-12 championship game Dec. 2.
Playoff Odds: 8 percent by ESPN’s Playoff Predictor, 13 percent by FiveThirtyEight
Bowl projection by USA Today: vs. Oklahoma State in Alamo Bowl Dec. 29.
Path to beat Georgia from Bill Connelly of ESPN.com: USC and TCU are pretty similar in terms of explosiveness and opportunism. While the Trojans' run defense is utterly dreadful, they shrink the game with a low tempo, and they have just about the best third-down offense in the country. The defense would probably get them drubbed against the Dawgs, but they might not need THAT many stops to give themselves a chance.