Georgia wasted no time making an impression in Week 1, and the coaches took notice.
After a 63-3 rout of Tennessee State, the Bulldogs climbed to No. 2 in the latest AFCA Football Coaches’ Poll. Ohio State holds the top spot and picked up 50 first-place votes, while Georgia landed seven. Texas got one first-place vote, Notre Dame received four, Indiana earned 11, and Oregon got one.
The rest of the top of the poll shifted as well. Oregon slid four places to No.
6, LSU moved up five spots to No. 8, Michigan fell eight spots to No. 24, and Virginia and Florida cracked the Top 25.
Clemson dropped out.
Here’s the USA Today Week 2 Coaches Poll: 1.
Ohio State Buckeyes 2.
Georgia Bulldogs 3.
Texas Longhorns 4.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 5.
Indiana Hoosiers 6.
Oregon Ducks 7.
Miami Hurricanes 8.
LSU Tigers 9.
Texas A&M Aggies 10.
Oklahoma Sooners 11.
Ole Miss Rebels 12.
Alabama Crimson Tide 13.
Texas Tech Red Raiders 14.
USC Trojans 15.
BYU Cougars 16.
Penn State Nittany Lions 17.
SMU Mustangs 18.
Tennessee Volunteers 19.
Washington Huskies 20.
Utah Utes 21.
Iowa Hawkeyes 21.
Houston Cougars 23.
Missouri Tigers 24.
Michigan Wolverines 25t Virginia Cavaliers
25t Florida Gators
Georgia’s performance against Tennessee State checked the boxes Kirby Smart wanted. The Bulldogs found the end zone on their first five possessions and set the tone early in a game that was never really in doubt. Georgia led by a wide margin at halftime and spent the final 30 minutes cruising to its first win of the season.
For the most part, Smart said the opener met the standard.
"Yeah, I thought our guys, the message was, you know, first impression," Smart said Saturday after the game. "And first impression of this team would be judged by how they handled the opponent and how well they played to our standard or not.
And I thought, you know, for three quarters there - first, third, and fourth - we did that. Second, we had some sloppiness, didn't do some things well.
"But I thought the guys played really hard. I thought they beat the heat.
I didn't feel like the heat impacted us. And, you know, a lot of credit and respect to Tennessee State.
He's trying to turn his program around, and that's tough to do. A really tough battle last week, and then came in today and they fought.
So respect to Coach and his staff and program."
Georgia, now 1-0 overall and 0-0 in SEC play, turns its attention to Western Kentucky on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Kickoff is set for 12:45 p.m. ET, and the game will be shown on SEC Network.
The Bulldogs’ upcoming schedule also includes No. 10 Oklahoma and No.
23 Missouri at home, road trips to No. 11 Ole Miss and No.
12 Alabama, and a matchup with No. 25 Florida in Atlanta.
In Other News...
Georgia Just Turned A Routine Hype Video Into A Fan Debate
Georgia footballs week-one hype video has become a lot more than a simple cut-up of highlights. What used to be a free social-media perk is now being kept behind a paywall on the schools Glory Glory Georgia platform, where fans have to subscribe and also help the NIL collective to get access. For a program that has built one of the loudest online followings in the sport, the move was always going to get noticed.
The reaction has already spilled onto social media, where some Georgia fans have pushed back on the idea of charging a minimum monthly payment just to watch a video that used to be shared openly. It is a small piece of content in the grand scheme of a season, but it also reflects how quickly the business of college football keeps creeping into the everyday fan experience, even for something as routine as a hype video. [Read more 🡒]
SEC Pushes LSU Toward Punishment That Could Shake The Entire League
The SEC has escalated its case against LSU in a way that could send ripples well beyond Baton Rouge, filing an amended complaint that seeks to expel the school from the league over what it says is a lack of institutional control. The dispute stems from comments made by Lane Kiffin about former NFL players returning to college football, and the conference's filing leans heavily on the idea that LSU's leadership has offered no response while Kiffin has been public on the matter.
For Georgia and the rest of the SEC, the next step matters because expulsion would require a two-thirds vote from league presidents, with that meeting expected soon. Even before any vote, the complaint has turned a coaching-side issue into a conference governance test, and the silence from LSU is now part of the broader argument hanging over one of college football's most powerful leagues. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Is Already Raving About One Georgia Freshman Receiver
Craig Dandridge wasted little time making an impression in his first college game for Georgia, popping up in multiple spots during the Bulldogs season opener against Tennessee State. The freshman wide receiver finished with two catches for 36 yards and also handled a 30-yard punt return, a small but noteworthy glimpse of the versatility that has already made him stand out in the receiver room.
Kirby Smart has been quick to notice more than just the box-score production. The Georgia coach praised Dandridges intelligence, versatility and quickness, even while noting the freshman had missed part of camp. With other receivers also contributing in the opener, Dandridges debut did not have to carry the entire passing game, but it did offer an early sign that he may have a larger role ahead. [Read more 🡒]