As Georgia gears up for its SEC Championship clash with Alabama, there’s no doubt that Saturday’s showdown is the biggest test of the season so far. But with the College Football Playoff looming just around the corner, it’s hard not to peek ahead and start thinking about what comes next-especially with the Bulldogs in a strong position to make the field regardless of what happens in Atlanta.
Georgia is expected to climb to No. 3 in the new CFP rankings, and their résumé is solid enough that even a loss to Alabama likely won’t knock them out of the playoff picture. That gives fans a rare luxury: instead of sweating over whether their team will get in, they can start looking at potential matchups-and which teams Georgia might want to avoid.
And right near the top of that “please not them” list? Oklahoma.
Now, on paper, Georgia should feel confident against just about anyone. If they do fall to Alabama, there’s still a decent chance they could draw a Group of Five opponent in the first round of the expanded playoff-likely at home. No playoff game is ever a gimme, but that would be about as favorable a setup as you could ask for.
But Oklahoma? That’s a different story.
The Sooners just wrapped up their regular season at 10-2, capping things off with a statement win over LSU. They were sitting at No. 8 in last week’s CFP rankings, and after that performance, they’re in prime position to lock in a playoff spot.
What makes Oklahoma such a dangerous draw isn’t just their record-it’s the quality of their wins and the way they’ve been playing lately. Earlier this season, they knocked off a strong Michigan team.
They also went on the road and beat both Tennessee and Alabama. That’s a trio of wins that speaks volumes about their ability to show up in big games, especially away from home.
But perhaps the biggest reason Georgia should be wary of Oklahoma is the Sooners’ defense. It’s been playing at a high level down the stretch, and that could spell trouble for a Georgia offense that looked out of sync at times against Georgia Tech on Friday. If the Bulldogs have another sluggish offensive showing, Oklahoma’s defense is more than capable of capitalizing.
Of course, the playoff bracket is still fluid, and a lot can change depending on how Championship Weekend plays out. But if you’re Georgia, and you’re mapping out the cleanest path to a national title, there’s no question you’d rather avoid a first-round date with the Sooners.
They’re battle-tested, they’ve won on the road, and they’re peaking at the right time. That’s not the kind of team you want to see when everything’s on the line.