Tuesday’s preseason rankings brought a fresh round of noise around Georgia, with the Bulldogs checking in at No. 3 in the AP Preseason Poll behind Ohio State and Oregon.
Notre Dame, Texas, Indiana and Miami fill out the rest of the top seven. Georgia is the highest-ranked SEC team, and Texas is the only other SEC program in that group. Neither Georgia nor Texas received a first-place vote, while Miami did get one.
That lack of top billing is the kind of thing that can fuel talk about disrespect, especially with Indiana sitting at No. 6 after a perfect championship season seven months ago. The Hoosiers also brought in a solid high school recruiting class and transfers to cover key departures, but the ranking still left some room for frustration.
The point, though, is that every team ahead of Indiana has a returning starter at quarterback, while Indiana brought in a quarterback who throws more picks than Carson Beck at a big away SEC game. Indiana is also closer to No. 2 than No.
2 Oregon is to No. 1.
Roster spending is another part of the conversation. Several schools are spending more than $40 million on their roster, while Georgia was just under that mark, according to sources.
Even with that, two familiar names stand out in Athens. Sophomore defensive back Ellis Robinson IV and senior quarterback Gunner Stockton are both back for Kirby Smart’s 2026 team, and both landed on the Walter Camp Player of the Year Watchlist.
In Other News...
Georgia Faces A Drew Bobo Question It Can't Ignore Up Front
Georgias offensive line has been asked to absorb plenty of turnover in recent seasons, so any uncertainty at center gets attention fast. Drew Bobo is back in the conversation after working through an injury issue, and the position matters even more because he had already dealt with missed time last season from a Lisfranc foot injury and another hand setback.
For now, the picture is better than it might have looked at first glance. Kirby Smart said Bobo practiced fully and took every rep recently, which eases some immediate concern, but Georgia still has to keep an eye on the depth chart behind him. Cortez Smith and Malachi Toliver have been competing for playing time, and their readiness could end up shaping how comfortable the Bulldogs feel up front if Bobos status changes again. [Read more 🡒]
Stetson Bennett Suddenly Has More Riding On This Rams Week
Stetson Bennett got the Rams first preseason start, a useful sign for a quarterback trying to carve out a place behind Matthew Stafford. For a former Georgia star who has already had to prove he belongs at this level, every snap matters, and this week carries extra weight as Los Angeles sorts through its quarterback depth chart before the games start counting for real.
Sean McVay is still weighing whether Bennett will get another preseason chance, with practice performances set to help shape the decision. The wrinkle is Ty Simpson, the first-round rookie who looked sharp in the opener and is slated to play throughout the preseason, which means Bennett is no longer just trying to hold serve - he is trying to protect a backup job that suddenly looks a lot less certain. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smarts New Tone On Gunner Stockton Says A Lot
Kirby Smarts latest public comments on Gunner Stockton carried a very different tone than the one Georgia fans heard not long ago. In his recent press conference, Smart pointed to Stocktons growth as a leader and as a quarterback, saying the young passer has taken meaningful steps in the way he carries himself and helps bring others along.
What stood out most was the emphasis on Stocktons improved throwing ability down the field, especially his deep ball accuracy, which Smart tied to Georgias offense and the programs long-term quarterback development. For a coach who had previously been more pointed about Stocktons tendency to force passes in practice, the shift in language suggested real progress has been made, even if the bigger answer about how far that growth can carry Georgia is still unfolding. [Read more 🡒]