Georgia is 3-0 and, on paper, right where it was supposed to be. The first month hasn’t asked much of the Bulldogs, though, and that’s exactly why the conversation around their schedule has shifted. What once looked like a brutal stretch has settled into a different order, with Ole Miss, Alabama and Florida now standing out as Georgia’s three toughest tests.
The biggest surprise at the top of that list is Ole Miss. The Rebels have put together the kind of early résumé that turns heads in September, starting with a 41-38 win over Louisville, which is currently ranked No. 16, and following that with a win over No.
10 LSU in Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford. Ole Miss is now ranked No. 4 and looks like a team with national title upside.
A major reason for that is quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who dominated Georgia in both meetings last year and has opened this season playing at a similarly high level. Georgia won’t see the Rebels until Nov. 7 in Oxford, and by then both teams should have a much clearer picture of where they really stand.
Ole Miss still has Texas, the top-ranked team, on its schedule before then, and it also has a road game against No. 21 Florida this week.
Vegas is actually favoring Florida in that one.
Alabama comes next, and that trip carries the same kind of weight Georgia fans have come to expect. The Crimson Tide and Rebels are the two most demanding games left on the schedule, and Alabama’s history against Georgia is part of the reason. Georgia did beat Alabama in the 2025 SEC Championship game, but under Kirby Smart the Bulldogs are 2-7 against the Tide and 1-2 overall against Kalen DeBoer.
This Alabama team hasn’t exactly been tested the way Ole Miss has, but it has handled its business with Power Four wins over Kentucky and Florida State. Kentucky’s value got a bump after beating Texas A&M on the road, which adds a little more weight to that result. Georgia heads to Alabama on Oct. 10, and there’s a decent chance the Tide will still be unbeaten by then, with South Carolina and Mississippi State coming up first.
Florida rounds out the top three, even though that would have sounded a little different before the season began. Oklahoma was the pick for many as Georgia’s third-hardest game, but the Sooners are 2-1, have dropped out of the top 25 and no longer carry the same look.
Florida, meanwhile, has climbed to No. 21.
The Gators earned that spot with a narrow road win over Auburn last weekend. It’s not a result that screams dominance, but it is better than anything Georgia has done so far.
Georgia and Florida meet in Atlanta on Halloween, and Florida still has a tricky path before that with Ole Miss, Missouri and Texas all on deck. The Gators are also favored by a couple points over Ole Miss this weekend, so they have a chance to make a bigger statement before they ever see Georgia.
In Other News...
Georgia Gets An O-Line Boost Just In Time For Oklahoma
Georgias offensive line is getting a timely boost as the Bulldogs prepare for Oklahoma, with Drew Bobo finally set to play without the protective club on his left hand for the first time since suffering a hand injury in fall camp. The update matters for a front that has had to lean on depth and durability, and it comes with head coach Kirby Smart continuing to emphasize the kind of toughness Bobo has brought while working through the injury.
Bobo has talked about his own growth as a player and the mindset that comes with staying on the field even when he is not at full strength. For Georgia, that sort of grit is especially valuable this week, when every bit of stability up front can shape how the offense handles a high-level opponent. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Just Lost A Georgia Series Fans Really Wanted
One of the more anticipated nonconference matchups on Georgias future schedule is off the board, as the Bulldogs and Clemson have mutually agreed to cancel their planned home-and-home series for 2029, 2030, 2032 and 2033. It is the kind of scheduling change that has become increasingly common in a sport still adjusting to shifting playoff formats and a more crowded calendar, and both Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney sounded resigned to that reality rather than surprised by it.
For Georgia fans, the disappointment is less about losing a game and more about losing a series that carried real national appeal, especially with the recent history between the programs still fresh. The Bulldogs have managed to keep a challenging mix of nonconference opponents on the books in coming seasons, but this one had the feel of a showcase event, a chance to test themselves against a familiar SEC-adjacent rival and add another marquee date to the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Offense Faces A Real Depth Test Ahead Of Oklahoma
Georgias trip toward Oklahoma comes with a little more uncertainty on offense than the Bulldogs would like this late in the season. Running back Nate Frazier and wide receiver Isiah Canion were both listed as questionable on the SEC availability report after leaving the previous game against Arkansas, adding more weight to a unit that has already had to manage a handful of absences.
The timing matters because this is the kind of matchup where every available option can shape how Georgia wants to attack. With several other Bulldogs already listed out and Oklahoma also dealing with its own injury note on defensive tackle David Stone, the pregame picture has become one of matching depth as much as matching talent. [Read more 🡒]