The Georgia Bulldogs put together their best win of the season on Saturday, outlasting the upstart Missouri Tigers between the hedges, 30-21. It wasn't a dominant showcase, but it was a resounding victory over a top-12 team — and proof that this iteration of the Bulldogs can execute under pressure in the face of legitimate competition.
And yet, the Dawgs entered last weekend's game as the No. 2 team in the College Football Playoff rankings, despite beginning the season No. 1 overall and not registering a single loss (or even any true scares). Instead, the CFP committee went with Kyle McCord and the Ohio State Buckeyes in the top slot.
While the Dawgs were putting away a top-12 opponent, the Buckeyes were hanging on for dear life Saturday... against Rutgers. The final score was 35-16 in OSU's favor, but that is misleading. Rutgers held the 9-7 halftime lead and legitimately outplayed the top-ranked Buckeyes for stretches of the game.
In the end, both Ohio State and UGA are still undefeated, 9-0. There was a general expectation, however, that UGA would leapfrog back into the top spot based on the strength of their recent performances compared to Ohio State's uneven output.
Nope. The latest College Football Playoff rankings are out, and the Buckeyes are still No. 1. Naturally, the Dawgs' faithful are down bad. And rightfully so.
UGA fans bemoan second-place standing in CFP rankings despite impressive Mizzou win
Bulldogs legend Aaron Murray is not thrilled with the new rankings.
The primary argument against UGA appears to be résumé, with Ohio State's wins over Penn State and Notre Dame serving as the foundation for that opinion. Of course, UGA has wins over Missouri, Florida, and Kentucky. It's not all nobodies.
UGA's best opportunity to leapfrog Ohio State will come next week, when the No. 9-ranked Ole Miss Rebels pay a visit to Athens. The possibilities are endless, with fans already spitting out hypotheticals based on next week's slate.
At the end of the day, though, it's a difficult pill to swallow for UGA fans in the short term. UGA might have a weaker résumé, but the Dawgs didn't have their season flash before their eyes against Rutgers. The CFP committee is tasked with picking the best team. Is Ohio State really the best team?
There's a lot of football left to be played. The Dawgs are dealing with a key absence on offense with Brock Bowers out of commission. That would make a win over Ole Miss next Saturday all the more impressive. If the Dawgs can keeping winning, all the way through the inevitable Alabama rematch in the SEC Championship Game, one has to imagine UGA will end up No. 1 eventually.