Connect with us

Georgia

What’s next for Georgia: How UGA SEC title game status affects Bulldogs’ CFP path

Published

on

What’s next for Georgia: How UGA SEC title game status affects Bulldogs’ CFP path


ATLANTA — Georgia football put stubborn Georgia Tech rival behind it with a 16-9 win and now waits to learn its postseason path.

“Get some recovery, do some recruiting” UGA coach Kirby Smart said on Friday, asked about his weekend plans, “see what happens.”

The No. 4-ranked Bulldogs (11-1) need for Texas to beat Texas A&M in the teams’ 7:30 p.m. game in Austin or for Auburn to upset Alabama at 7:30 p.m. on at Jordan-Hare Stadium to play in the SEC championship next Saturday.

Smart, who has led UGA teams to appearances in seven of the past eight SEC title games — winning three of them, including last year’s — has made it clear he wants to hang another league banner

Advertisement

This, even though ESPN projected UGA to have a 77 percent chance of keeping a top-four seed even without playing in the SEC title game — which would mean a first-round bye.

“I’m an SEC enthusiast, (and) I look at it as what do you do to win the SEC,” Smart said on 92.9 The Game last week. “It’s one of the top moments of your career, of your year.”

Georgia earned a first-round bye last season after winning the league title game before losing to Notre Dame, 23-10 in the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal.

The difference this year would be one less game and an extra week of rest, but Smart shrugged off that concept.

“I’d never agree it’s better (not to play in the SEC title game),” Smart said. “What about the experience you get from playing in that game? The pressure, the anxiety, yeah, banged up, sure, but there’s recovery time in there.”

Advertisement

Texas A&M is a 2.5-point favorite over Texas, and Alabama is a 5.5-point favorite over Auburn.

Here are Georgia’s CFP scenarios as of the end of UGA’s game on Friday evening:

Georgia CFP Scenario One

Georgia doesn’t play in SEC title game

Georgia could get a bye or host a first-round CFP game on Dec. 19 or Dec. 20 if it doesn’t play in the SEC title game, depending on if it finishes ranked in the top four of the final CFP rankings, which will be released on Dec. 7.

The most likely team to jump Georgia would be current No. 5-ranked and projected Big 12 champion Texas Tech (10-1).

Advertisement

The Red Raiders, with the benefit of a championship game against current projected Big 12 title game opponent BYU (ranked No. 11, and 10-1), could get a favorable bump from the committee.

The committee would note Texas Tech’s only defeat came to current No. 20 Arizona State in one of the two games the Red Raiders’ starting quarterback missed with injury.

There is a possibility in this scenario, however, that Georgia could remain ranked in the top four — and receive a bye, thus not hosting a first-round CFP game.

This would occur if the committee kept the Bulldogs ranked ahead of projected Big 12-winner Texas Tech — largely on the strength of UGA’s schedule and quality wins — even if the Red Raiders were to win out.

Of course, if Texas Tech lost at West Virginia, as a 23.5-point favorite on Saturday, that would derail the Red Raiders’ chances of passing UGA in the rankings, as would a Texas Tech loss in the Big 12 championship game to projected opponent BYU, a team it defeated earlier this season in Lubbock, 29-7.

Advertisement

Georgia CFP Scenario Two

Georgia plays in, and wins, SEC title game

If the Bulldogs win the SEC championship game, they would earn a top-four seed and get a first-round bye.

In this scenario, Georgia would most likely play in the Sugar Bowl at 8 p.m. on New Year’s Day in a CFP quarterfinal against a first-round winner. The Sugar Bowl gets the higher-ranked conference championship game winner from the SEC and Big 12.

Georgia CFP Scenario Three

Georgia plays in, loses in the SEC championship game

If UGA plays in and loses the SEC championship game, it’s more likely than not the Bulldogs would fall between No. 5 and No. 8 in the rankings and host a first-round CFP game.

Advertisement

This is especially true because the CFP selection committee has set a precedent that, barring an impactful injury to a key player or lopsided defeat, it will not drop a team playing in a conference championship game beneath a team that is not playing in its conference title game.

It seems unlikely an 11-2 Georgia would fall beneath the current one-loss teams ranked No. 6 and No. 7, neither of which is currently projected to play in their respective conference championship games

• No. 6 Oregon (10-1)

• No. 7 Ole Miss (10-1)

The Bulldogs’ head-to-head win over Ole Miss would likely limit UGA’s fall to No. 7.

Advertisement

Further, Georgia’s wins over Ole Miss and Texas would be transitive properties likely to keep it ahead of No. 8 Oklahoma (9-2), which lost to both of those teams this season.



Source link

Georgia

No. 3 Georgia to Host Top-Ranked Auburn for Regular Season Finale – University of Georgia Athletics

Published

on

No. 3 Georgia to Host Top-Ranked Auburn for Regular Season Finale – University of Georgia Athletics


ATHENS – The third-ranked Georgia equestrian team will host No. 1 Auburn on Saturday at 12 p.m. to conclude the regular season. 
 
Georgia fell at Auburn 14-6 to wrap up the fall slate of their season. The overall record against the Tigers currently stands at 31-31, including a 13-7 record in Bishop.
 
During their National Championship run in the 2024-25 season, the Mane Dawgs faced off against Auburn on three separate occasions. Georgia was victorious at home, 11-9, before falling on the road, 11-8. In the quarterfinals of the NCEA National Championships in Ocala, the Bulldogs stunned the second-ranked Tigers, 13-4, en route to their eighth National Championship title.
 
Georgia returns to action following a trip to Blythewood, South Carolina, to take on the third-ranked Gamecocks. 
 
Top-ranked Auburn travels to Bishop after hosting No. 4 SMU at home the prior weekend. The Tigers defeated the Mustangs 13-7 and swept all four MOP honors.
 
Following the conclusion of the meet, Georgia will honor their seven seniors for their dedication and contributions to the program.

The meet will be streamed on SECN+ at https://gado.gs/e7v, and live scoring will be available at https://gado.gs/e7w.

 

HOW TO FOLLOW GEORGIA EQUESTRIAN: For complete information on Georgia equestrian, follow the team on its social media channels via @UGAEquestrian on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

JOIN OUR MANE DAWGS FUND: Mane Dawgs Fund contributions make a direct impact in supporting our student-athletes and equines at the Georgia Equestrian program. A gift to the Mane Dawgs fund helps provide resources such as equipment upgrades for our student and equine athletes, travel assistance, and enhance overall team experiences. Contributions to the Mane Dawgs provide benefits such as membership gifts and information about upcoming special events. Click here for more information.

 

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Georgia

Georgia OC Mike Bobo gets giant pay raise, salary matches DC Glenn Schumann

Published

on

Georgia OC Mike Bobo gets giant pay raise, salary matches DC Glenn Schumann


Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann will be paid equally in 2026 after receiving raises, according to an Athens Banner-Herald report.

Coach Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs are coming off a second consecutive SEC championship season and College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl quarterfinal appearance.

lliw ot eht eht ees .nosaes nosaes deviecer yap raey-eno noillim noillim edam tsal esaercni sih eh morf rof noisnetxe tcartnoc dna a oboB 6202 )%64( 2.2$ 305.1$

saw ot tes suoiverp rep ekam ni ni sih ,noisnetxe tcartnoc .yluJ ,oboB 6202 306.1$

Advertisement

.raey htiw ,raey-eerht eht eht taht yldetroper rep evisneffo noillim noillim si ni diap-tsehgih rotanidrooc tcartnoc segareva a sieW CES s’USL .rJ eilrahC 5.7$ 5.2$

hcihw saw pot ot emit driht eht eht eht eht s’noitan ni eh sah seog rof rof tsilanif tsilanif .hcaoc reerac neeb ,drawa tnatsissa a a s’tI selyorB s’oboB oboB .drawA 5202

eerht eht eht gnitrats .sretrats htxis ,gnirocs deknar kcabretrauq stniop rep evisneffo esneffo wen noitan enil ni ni ni ,emag raey-tsrif gnirutaef dniheb gnigareva dna dna na ehT notkcotS CES rennuG ’sgodlluB 1.23 ht82

gnitov rednu siht eht htneves .nosaes ni dehsinif noitcerid yhporT notkcotS namsieH s’oboB

enoz htiw saw deit deit nwod-driht driht eht eht eht gnirocs der yalp egatnecrep egatnecrep egatnecrep fo noitan noitan noitan ni ni ni ni ni .)slaog nwod-htruof rof rof dleif noisrevnoc noisrevnoc ,gnillac tub dna dna ,osla AGU s’oboB dn23 ,02 ht01 )057. snwodhcuot( 51(

Advertisement

lliw pu ot nosaes noillim noillim tsal og morf tcartnoc osla s’nnamuhcS .)%01( 2.2$ 300.2$

ot taht taht gnitrats tes deviecer esiar ylsuoiverp ylsuoiverp noillim ekam ekil dedulcni mih dah dah rotalacse esualc a a ,nnamuhcS yluJ ,oboB .1 301.2$ 000,001$

sdray siht eht eht dnoces gnidne-nosaes ,nosaes gnirocs deknar stniop stniop rep noitan ssol ni ni ni ni ni ,emag retrauq-htruof neve esnefed dna dna gniwolla gniwolla retfa a CES .snaelrO elO weN ssiM aigroeG 374 ,43-93 02 75.71 ht01

.raey htiw ot raey-eerht eht taht taht noitisop rep diap noillim si ni tsehgih evisnefed rotanidrooc tcartnoc hcaoc deveileb eb segareva a lliW ’saxeT pmahcsuM 8.2$



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Georgia

Georgia Lt. Gov. announces bill inspired by Charlie Kirk to protect student speech

Published

on

Georgia Lt. Gov. announces bill inspired by Charlie Kirk to protect student speech


Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones on Monday unveiled legislation inspired by the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk that he says would expand students’ free speech rights in public schools, making Georgia the first state in the nation to pursue such a measure.

Jones announced the “True Patriotism and Universal Student Access Act,” known as the TPUSA Act, on Monday as a priority for the 2026 legislative session. The proposal, sponsored by State Sen. Ben Watson (R–Savannah), would strengthen First Amendment protections for public school students by safeguarding their right to speak, organize, and express political and religious views on campus.

The bill is explicitly shaped around the work and legacy of Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative advocacy group Turning Point USA and its political arm, Turning Point Action. Jones and others have framed the legislation as a way to honor Kirk’s efforts to mobilize young conservatives and defend free speech in schools and on college campuses.

“In the spirit and memory of Charlie’s work, the TPUSA Act in Georgia would ensure that students’ First Amendment rights to organize, gather and speak are protected, regardless of their religious, political, or social viewpoints,” Jones said in a press release. “Georgia is leading the way as the first state in the nation to do it.”

Advertisement

Founder and President of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk speaks during the Turning Point Believers Summit at the Palm Beach County Civic Center on July 26, 2024. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Miami Herald


Jones, who is running for governor and is endorsed by both former President Donald Trump and Turning Point Action, also emphasized his broader commitment to free speech rights as part of his campaign rhetoric. 

“Georgia is building on the work of Charlie Kirk to ensure students can speak, organize and express their beliefs freely,” Jones posted on social media. 

Advertisement

The TPUSA Act would require public schools in Georgia to permit political expression before, during and after the school day to the same extent that non-political expression is allowed. It also would let students form political clubs and groups during non-instructional time, bar discrimination against groups based on viewpoint, and guarantee that students could wear politically themed clothing and accessories under the same standards that apply to other permitted attire.

Supporters say the legislation would ensure that school administrators cannot block students from engaging in peaceful political activities and that all viewpoints, partisan and nonpartisan, would have equal access to meeting spaces and facilities.

Sen. Watson said the move reflects the belief that schools should not restrict students’ free speech or prohibit them from organizing around their beliefs. 

“School officials should not have the power to enforce their own ideologies on students,” he said.

Josh Thifault, senior director at Turning Point Action, praised Georgia’s effort, asserting that Kirk “lived and died for the First Amendment.” He added that the legislation will benefit students “for decades to come” by removing barriers to student expression.

Advertisement



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending