Georgia
Three keys to Georgia Bulldogs winning College Football Playoff | Sporting News
If it’s true that failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor, the University of Georgia’s fans and players will have every brat and burger slathered up and soaked for a revenge season after a historical three-peat just slipped through their fingers.
Even though a stinging loss to hated rivals Alabama in the 2023 SEC Championship game in Nick Saban’s final season ended their three-peat dream, Georgia can still cement their dynasty by adding a third championship in four years.
Heading toward the 2024 college football kickoff, the Bulldogs are currently neck-and-neck with Ohio State as betting favorites, and the unanimous preseason No. 1 across every poll. With the thirteenth toughest schedule in the country and road games against Alabama under new head coach Kalen DeBoer, and SEC newcomer and fellow contender Texas led by quarterback Quinn Ewers, Georgia has its work cut out for them.
Fortunately with potential No. 1 overall NFL draft pick Carson Beck at the reins and a best-in-class head coach Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs have what it takes to come out on top of a stacked SEC and claim the all important first-round bye in this year’s expanded playoffs. It won’t be easy, but it won’t be impossible. These keys could make the difference:
Stiffen up against the run
Yes, Georgia finished in the top 10 defensively in 2023, but a closer look reveals a weakness in run defense. Georgia was only ranked 29th in rushing yards allowed and 43rd in rushing yards per attempt. The final three games they played last year were their worst, and two Alabama rushing touchdowns sent the Bulldogs packing. Teams that want to slow down the Bulldog’s offense know they can exploit this phase of the game. Hold on to the ball, and grind out an upset. But Georgia is aware of this issue and keen to fix it for 2024.
Three ways SEC teams could get screwed in College Football Playoff
According to defensive end standout Mykel Williams: “Our goal is to be top one in every defensive statistic that matters.”
Score in the red zone
Based on their dynastic run, it’s hard to believe Georgia has anything to improve offensively. But in 2023, the Bulldogs had a nearly 10 percent drop in red zone scoring compared to their 2022 national championship campaign. This was mitigated by the fact that Georgia got into the red zone more times than any other team in the country, but with Georgia trying to climb back to the top of the mountain this season, avoiding missed scoring opportunities could be the difference between hoisting the national championship trophy for a third time in four years or dreaming of what could have been.
Beat Texas
Circle October 19 on the calendar, because that could be the day the SEC champion reveals themselves. Currently, both Georgia and Texas are projected to win 10.5 games, tied for the most in the SEC. But there can be only one team to take the SEC crown and grab a coveted playoff bye. The Longhorns are returning a lot of talent and are ranked third in ESPN’S FPI rankings, behind only Oregon and Georgia. But the good news for Bulldogs fans is that they’ll be watching this game from the seats of Sanford Stadium, where Georgia hasn’t lost since 2019.
In a loaded SEC, Georgia has a tough road ahead. But with the talent, leadership, and program they have in place, their 2024 campaign will be must watch TV every Saturday. Get your popcorn ready!
After months of campaigning, the 2026 primary elections in Georgia are on Tuesday, with hundreds of contests for statewide and local office taking place across the Peach State.
Voters in every precinct will have a distinct ballot, depending on what races are in play where they live.
With the number of candidates and hotly contested races up for grabs this year, many voters have said the primary ballot is one of the longest they’ve seen.
How to tell which races will be on your local Georgia ballot
So how do you know what races will be on your ballot before you head to your local polling place? It’s easier than you might think.
One way is to use the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter Page. Once logged in with your name, county, and date of birth, you can click a link to see your sample ballot and update your voter information. You can also see where you can cast your vote and your voter registration info.
You can also check your county election department, which will have links to see the Democratic, nonpartisan, and Republican sample ballots.
Statewide races will be on every voter’s ballot, like the primaries for governor, lieutenant governor, and U.S. senator. Most other races are dependent on the county or legislative district.
The different races included in the Georgia primary election
- U.S. Senate
- U.S. House of Representatives
- Governor
- Lieutenant Governor
- Secretary of State
- Attorney General
- Commissioner of Agriculture
- Commissioner of Insurance
- State School Superintendent
- Commissioner of Labor
- Public Service Commissioner District 3 and 5
- State Senate
- State House
- Countywide officers
- Georgia Supreme Court (two seats)
- State and county courts
Georgia U.S. Senate primaries
Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is running unopposed and will face one of five challengers aiming to bring the seat back into Republican hands: Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, Rep. Mike Collins, John F. Coyne III, Derek Dooley, and Jonathan “Jon” McColumn.
Georgia Congressional primaries
All 14 of Georgia’s U.S. House districts are on the ballot this year. Here are some of the metro Atlanta races CBS News Atlanta will be watching closely.
Primaries for Georgia governor
Primaries for Georgia lieutenant governor
- Democratic primary for Georgia lieutenant governor
- Republican primary for Georgia lieutenant governor
Primaries for Georgia secretary of state
- Democratic primary for Georgia secretary of state
- Republican primary for Georgia secretary of state
Primaries for Georgia attorney general
- Democratic primary for Georgia attorney general
- Republican primary for Georgia attorney general
Other statewide primaries in Georgia
Here are some other contested statewide primaries we are watching:
- Democratic primary for Georgia insurance commissioner
- Democratic primary for Georgia agriculture commissioner
- Republican primary for Georgia state school superintendent
- Democratic primary for Georgia state school superintendent
- Democratic primary for Georgia labor commissioner
- Republican primary for Georgia Public Service commissioner Districts 3 and 5
- Democratic primary for Georgia Public Service commissioner Districts 3 and 5
Georgia State Senate and State House primaries
All 56 of the Georgia State Senate districts and all 180 seats of the Georgia State House of Representatives are up for election in 2026.
Primaries for Georgia courts
Primaries for both statewide and county courts are on the ballot this year. These elections are nonpartisan and all candidates will appear on both ballots
- Three Georgia Supreme Court judges
- Five Court of Appeals judges
- County superior court judges
- State court judges
Political party ballot questions
Both the Georgia Republican and Democratic parties include ballot questions in their primary elections. The questions are non-binding, but advise the parties on what to include in their platforms. This year, the Republicans have eight questions and the Democrats have two.
As an example, Question 1 on the Republican ballot asks: “Should Georgia enact the strongest election integrity measures possible, which may include hand marked paper ballots, fines for counties that refuse to maintain current voter rolls, and restrictions on no-excuse absentee voting to restore trust in elections?”
Question 1 on the Democratic ballot asks: “Should the State of Georgia raise the sales tax on everyday items like clothing, food, and school supplies to pay for an income tax cut that would make millionaires and billionaires richer?”
Voters mark yes or no on each question.
As temperatures rise across Georgia, cooling costs are also expected to climb this summer. The Georgia Public Service Commission is set to hear one of Georgia Power’s proposed agreements aimed at saving customers money on their power bills.
Georgia Power says its proposed agreements could save the typical customer about $4 a month if approved by the commission.
The proposals involve two separate cases before the PSC. One focuses on fuel costs used to operate power plants, while the second deals with storm recovery costs tied to Hurricane Helene.
Georgia Power and the PSC’s Public Interest Advocacy Staff recently reached agreements in both cases. If approved, the company says the typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month could save about $4.04 per month or nearly $50 per year beginning in June.
The proposal comes as a new national report from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association and the Center for Energy Poverty and Climate projects cooling costs could rise about 8.5% nationwide this year. The report says hotter temperatures and increased energy demand are helping drive costs higher.
Reliable Heating and Air said it is already seeing an increase in service calls across metro Atlanta as more people start using their air conditioning systems.
HVAC experts said homeowners should watch for warning signs, including strange noises, weak airflow, homes cooling slowly or higher-than-normal power bills.
“Biggest mistake they make is not getting a system maintenance,” said Joshua Kelly with Reliable Heating and Air. “A lot of people feel like, ‘Oh no, I don’t have to get maintenance,’ but you most definitely do.”
Experts recommend changing air filters regularly, scheduling maintenance checks, keeping thermostats between 74 and 77 degrees on hot days and addressing airflow problems early.
Resources for Georgia families needing help with cooling costs:
- Georgia LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) — Helps eligible low-income households pay heating and cooling bills and may assist during energy emergencies.
- United Way 211 — Connects families with local resources, including utility assistance programs, emergency financial help and community services.
- Partnership for Community Action — Offers utility assistance, energy support programs and other services for eligible families in metro Atlanta.
- Local Community Action Agencies — Many agencies across Georgia provide emergency utility assistance, payment support and additional family resources during extreme heat and high energy demand periods.
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