Georgia Climbs to No. 3 in AP Top 25, Sets Sights on SEC Title Clash with Alabama
After a gritty 16-9 win over in-state rival Georgia Tech, Georgia has moved up to No. 3 in the Week 15 AP Top 25 poll, positioning itself firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation. The Bulldogs now sit behind only Ohio State and Indiana, with the Buckeyes receiving 63 first-place votes and the Hoosiers picking up five.
For Georgia, the win wasn’t pretty-but it was enough. The Bulldogs wrapped up their regular season at 11-1, extending their winning streak over Georgia Tech to eight straight. And while the scoreboard didn’t light up, the defense certainly did, showing the kind of resilience and physicality that’s become a calling card of Kirby Smart’s program.
“Physical, physical, tough game,” Smart said after the win. “Our guys were very resilient during it and found ways.” That’s been the story of Georgia’s season: not always dominant, but consistently finding a way.
A Defensive Statement
The Bulldogs controlled the game in terms of time of possession, but Smart was quick to admit it wasn’t a dominating performance. Still, the defense rose to the occasion, limiting Georgia Tech to just nine points and making key stops when it mattered most. Smart credited co-defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann and his staff for crafting a game plan that held up under pressure.
It was the kind of performance that doesn’t always show up in the highlight reels, but it’s the backbone of championship-caliber football. Georgia’s offense did just enough, but it’s the defense that carried them across the finish line in this one.
SEC Heavyweights Crowd the Top 25
Georgia isn’t the only SEC team making noise in the rankings. In fact, the conference is flexing its muscle with five teams in the top 10 and eight in the top 25.
Ole Miss checks in at No. 6, Texas A&M at No.
7, Oklahoma at No. 8, Alabama at No.
10, Vanderbilt at No. 13, Texas at No. 14, and Missouri rounds out the list at No.
It’s a testament to the depth and quality of the SEC this season. With that many teams in the mix, every week feels like a playoff game-and the stakes only get higher from here.
Next Stop: SEC Championship vs. Alabama
Up next for Georgia? A date with Alabama in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday, Dec.
- Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
ET on ABC. And while Georgia is widely expected to make the College Football Playoff regardless of the outcome, don’t expect Kirby Smart or his team to treat this like anything less than a must-win.
“If you worry about injury risk, we won’t practice next week,” Smart said bluntly when asked about the risk-reward balance of playing in a high-stakes game with playoff implications already in hand. “You live your life scared of injuries, you know what you get? A very scared team.”
For Smart, the SEC Championship still matters. A lot.
“I mean, I grew up thinking that was the greatest game in the world,” he said. “Yeah, we lost guys today to injury.
We're going to lose guys in practice to injury. But that’s next man up.
That’s what’s wrong with this whole thing now. It’s like, ‘Well, what if you get hurt?’
I mean, it’s football. It’s all part of it.”
It’s a message that resonates with a team built on toughness and depth. Georgia knows what’s at stake-not just a playoff berth, but the chance to raise another SEC trophy. And with Alabama looming, the Bulldogs will need every ounce of that grit they showed against Georgia Tech.
The Road Ahead
As the regular season gives way to championship weekend, Georgia is right where it wants to be: in the thick of the national title hunt, battle-tested, and ready for another marquee matchup. The win over Georgia Tech may not have been a statement game, but it was a reminder of who Georgia is-resilient, physical, and built for the long haul.
Now comes the real test. Alabama.
SEC title. Playoff implications.
All on the line in Atlanta.
Buckle up. This is where the season gets real.