BREAKING: No. 1 UGA Football Moves Past Ohio State in College Football Playoff Rankings
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ATHENS - Kirby Smart and UGA Football were ranked No. 1 in the third College Football Playoff Committee rankings of the year Tuesday night.
The Bulldogs are ranked No. 1 in both the Coaches’ and AP Poll as well. Kirby Smart’s undefeated Bulldogs have used an explosive offense and a stout defense to get to a 10-0 start to the season. The Bulldogs take on No. 18 (CFP) Tennessee Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville. The Vols were pounded 36-7 by Missouri in Columbia last Saturday. The game between the Vols and Dawgs is one of only a handful of top 25 matchups this weekend.
The Bulldogs have wins over No. 13 Ole Miss and No. 9 Missouri, meaning the Dawgs have the best two wins of the season right now.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF 2023 WEEK THREE TOP SIX
1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. Florida State
5. Washington
6. Oregon
No. 1 Teams in First CFP Rankings
2023 - Ohio State
2022 - Tennessee
2021 - Georgia ***
2020 - Alabama ***
2019 - Ohio State
2018 - Clemson ***
2017 - Georgia
2016 - Alabama
2015 - Clemson
2014 - Mississippi State
*** - Won the national title
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Bulldogs Take Aim At SEC Regular Season History
On Saturday at No. 13 Tennessee, Georgia takes aim at an SEC regular season three-peat, that is to go 8-0 in three consecutive seasons, something that no other program has done since the league went to an eight-game schedule in 1992. In 2021, the Bulldogs posted their first perfect 8-0 SEC mark in school history with an average margin of victory of 31.9 points. The 2022 Bulldogs followed with another 8-0 SEC season with the average margin of victory of 25.5. The 2023 Bulldogs have an average margin of victory in SEC games this year of 19.9.
About Tennessee
UT (7-3, 3-3 SEC), coached by Josh Heupel, has won 14 straight home games, which is the third longest active streak at home behind Georgia (25) and Michigan (21). The Vols average 32.0 ppg while allowing 20.2 ppg. UT ranks eighth nationally in rushing offense (213.3 ypg). They rank second in the SEC with 33 sacks. UT is coming off a 36-7 road loss to No. 12 Missouri as the Tigers tallied 531 yards of total offense, the most allowed by the Vols this year. UT came into that contest allowing an SEC-low 97 yards rushing per game but the league leader, Cody Schrader, scampered for 205 yards on 35 carries.
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Series Flashback: Bulldogs Wins Historic Meeting On Dooley Field
The 2022 contest in Athens marked the first 1-2 (Associated Press ranking) matchup in Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium history and was just the third ever top five matchup. The Bulldogs, No. 1 in the polls but No. 3 in the initial CFP rankings, faced off against Tennessee who was No. 1 in the CFP. Along with CBS broadcasting the game, ESPN College GameDay and SEC Nation were all in Athens. Georgia emerged with a 27-13 victory. UT entered the contest ranked No. 1 in the county in points per game (49.4). Georgia’s defense limited them to 289 yards on 75 plays.
The Bulldogs lead the all-time series with UT 27-23-2 including winning the past six meetings. This is the longest streak of Bulldog success in the series. The Bulldogs are 6-1 against the Vols under Kirby Smart, the lone defeat coming in 2016 on a Hail-Mary by Josh Dobbs in Athens. He completed a 43-yarder to Jauan Jennings as time expired to lift No. 11 Tennessee past No. 25 Georgia 34-31.
Balance Signals Success
The Bulldogs are one of only three teams in the country who are ranked in the top 10 in both Scoring Offense and Scoring Defense. The Bulldogs rank sixth in Scoring Defense at 15.6 ppg and sixth in Scoring Offense at 40.6 ppg. The other two teams are Michigan (10-0) and SMU (8-2).
One of the keys to Georgia’s success is its third down defense. The Bulldogs are ranked seventh nationally with opponents converting just 28 percent of the time. In SEC action, Georgia opponents are a combined 26-for-84 on third downs (28 percent). The Bulldogs lead the country in converting third downs (56 percent). Georgia has converted 47 of 86 third downs (55 percent) against league opponents.
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