Georgia’s place in the Week 8 AP Poll got a little more interesting than expected.
After last week’s loss to Auburn, the Bulldogs dropped four spots to No. 5.
With Georgia on a bye and No. 2 BYU falling to UCF, the expectation was a simple one: Georgia would move up one spot.
Instead, the voters nudged the Bulldogs all the way to No. 3, sending them past Notre Dame even though neither team played this weekend.
That jump stands out because Georgia’s loss to Auburn was one of the season’s biggest surprises. Auburn followed that win by getting handled by LSU 38-17 on Saturday, which in theory should have made Georgia’s setback look even worse. The AP voters didn’t treat it that way.
Notre Dame, like Georgia, was also idle this week. The Irish lost to BYU last week, which remains a stronger loss than Georgia’s defeat to Auburn, but their resume still lacks a standout win. Georgia, meanwhile, has its victory at Alabama, and that appears to have carried real weight with voters.
So while the move above Notre Dame was unexpected, it may also have been the poll’s way of correcting itself.
The good news for Georgia is that the path ahead offers plenty of chances to improve the resume. The Bulldogs have three straight games against ranked opponents, starting with No.
17 Florida in Atlanta. Then comes a road trip to No.
12 Ole Miss, followed by a home game against No. 22 Missouri before two easier games to close the regular season.
There is a catch, though. Florida could be out of the top 25 by the time Georgia finishes with them, and Missouri may not still be ranked when that matchup arrives. Even so, the bigger picture is clear: if Georgia keeps winning, the Bulldogs will be in position for the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff.
Here are the SEC teams in the Week 8 AP Poll: 3 Georgia
9 Kentucky 10 Alabama
11 Texas 12 Ole Miss
15 LSU 16 Tennessee
17 Florida 23 Missouri
In Other News...
Georgia Fans Have A New Reason To Worry About Glenn Schumann
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For Georgia, the appeal is obvious and so is the concern. Schumann has become one of the more respected defensive minds in the sport, and while he is still focused on the Bulldogs right now, the possibility of a head-coaching move is getting harder to ignore. Whether this particular job becomes a real threat or just another line on a growing list of opportunities, it is the kind of development that can have fans watching the staff carousel a little more closely than they would like. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Fans Just Got A Reassuring Sign About Elite QB Commit
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Michigans recent quarterback play and broader team struggles have made the pitch a tougher one than it might have looked a year ago. The Wolverines have built a reputation for flipping recruits in the past, but this season could make that harder, and for Georgia the timing at least offers a reassuring backdrop as it tries to keep Wade in the fold. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia-Florida Suddenly Feels Bigger After What Happened At Auburn
The annual Georgia-Florida rivalry already had enough weight attached to it, but this years edition in Atlanta has taken on an even bigger feel after what unfolded at Auburn. Instead of the usual setting in Jacksonville, the game is being moved because of renovations at the stadium that has hosted the matchup since 1995, turning a familiar neutral-site date into something with a different backdrop and a little extra edge.
It still carries the same kickoff window, with a 3:30 p.m. EST start on ABC and streaming available through the ESPN app and Fubo TV, but the venue change gives the old rivalry a fresh look. Georgia enters as the clear favorite at 10.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook, and ESPNs matchup predictor pegs the Bulldogs with an 82.1 percent chance to win, but this one feels like more than a routine November measuring stick. [Read more 🡒]