Georgia’s 2025 campaign didn’t end the way Bulldog fans had hoped, but let’s not lose sight of what this team accomplished. An 11-1 regular season, an SEC Championship, and yet another top-four seed in the College Football Playoff - that’s a resume most programs would gladly take any year. Even with the quarterfinal loss to Ole Miss, Georgia still finished strong in the national rankings, landing at No. 6 in the final AP Poll and No. 5 in the final Coaches Poll.
That’s what makes the latest twist in the postseason conversation so baffling.
When the individual ballots for the final Coaches Poll were released, one name stood out for all the wrong reasons: Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell. His ballot didn’t just rank Georgia lower than expected - it didn’t include Georgia at all.
Not in the top five. Not in the top ten.
Not even in the top 25.
Let’s be clear: Georgia went 12-2, won the SEC, and beat multiple ranked opponents along the way. This wasn’t a team that stumbled through the season or backed into a bowl game.
This was a powerhouse that dominated its conference and earned its spot in the playoff. Leaving them off a top-25 ballot isn’t just questionable - it’s inexplicable.
There’s always a chance this was an honest mistake. Coaches are busy, ballots can be misfiled, and the process isn’t always perfect.
But if this was intentional? That’s a different story.
Because there’s simply no football-based rationale for excluding a team like Georgia from the top 25. None.
Fickell’s omission didn’t affect Georgia’s final ranking, but it certainly didn’t go unnoticed. And while we’re unlikely to see the Bulldogs and Badgers settle things on the field anytime soon - especially with Wisconsin still trying to find its footing - it’s safe to say there’s now a little extra edge to any hypothetical future matchup.
For Georgia, this is just more bulletin board material. A team that’s already proven it belongs among the elite doesn’t need validation from every coach’s ballot.
But snubs like this? They don’t get forgotten in Athens.