2024-09-29 18:30:04
The 2024 college football season has brought about a lot of excitement and upsets.
One of the “upsets” this week include No. 1 Georgia going down to No. 4 Alabama on the road in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday. The Crimson Tide knocked off the Bulldogs in a 41-34 thriller, which seemed for much of the first half like it would be an Alabama blowout victory.
REQUIRED READING:No. 4 Alabama tops No. 1 Georgia late in a wild battle of heavyweights
Georgia entered the game as a one-point favorite over the Crimson Tide, which was playing its first SEC game in the Kalen DeBoer era following the retirement of legendary coach Nick Saban in the offseason. Alabama came out swinging against the top-ranked team in the country, jumping out to a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter and leading 30-7 at halftime.
The Bulldogs, however, would not go away, outscoring Alabama 27-11 in the second half. Georgia took its first lead of the game at 34-33 with 2:31 left and looked to pull off the biggest comeback in the program’s history — and the history of a top-five AP Top 25 matchup.
However, Jalen Milroe hit Ryan Williams for the game-winning 75-yard touchdown just 13 game seconds after Georgia claimed the lead. The Crimson Tide sealed the victory with an interception in the end zone. Despite the loss, Georgia is still alive for both the College Football Playoff and the SEC championship game, with the CFP expanding to 12 teams and the SEC eliminating divisions.
Here’s a look at how far Georgia football could drop in the latest US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 rankings for Week 6:
REQUIRED READING:Georgia vs. Alabama final score: Zabien Brown intercepts, crushes Georgia’s comeback hopes
Georgia football rankings: Where will Bulldogs fall in top 25?
Georgia could have seen a bigger freefall if the team had not made this one competitive, even taking a lead late in the fourth quarter. The late fight could help the Bulldogs from dropping out of the top five entirely.
However, a one-touchdown loss to Alabama on the road should not be held against Georgia too firmly. The comeback on the road, when the game looked bleak, could help Beck and the Bulldogs in the eyes of voters nationwide.
Here’s a look at how the teams ranked in the top 10 of the US LBM Coaches Poll performed on Saturday in Week 5 college football action and how it might impact Georgia’s ranking:
- No. 1 Georgia: 41-34 loss to Alabama
- No. 2 Texas: 35-13 win over Mississippi State
- No. 3 Ohio State: 38-7 win over Michigan State
- No. 4 Alabama: 41-34 win over Georgia
- No. 5 Ole Miss: 20-17 loss vs. Kentucky
- No. 6 Tennessee: Bye
- No. 7 Oregon: at UCLA
- No. 8 Penn State: 21-7 win over No. 21 Illinois
- No. 9 Miami: 38-34 win vs. Virginia Tech
- No. 10 Utah: vs. Arizona
Georgia squeaked by Kentucky with a 13-12 victory two weeks ago, ahead of the bye week and the Alabama matchup. Due to that, the Bulldogs fell to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 while remaining No. 1 in the Coaches Poll. That won’t be the case following the loss.
Ohio State, like Georgia, has not faced its toughest competition regarding the team’s wins, easily handling Michigan State 38-7. Texas’ win over Michigan earlier in the season and Alabama’s win over Georgia should go down as two of the better wins so far during the 2024 college football season.
The loss should not drop UGA out of the top seven, especially with Ole Miss losing at home to unranked Kentucky. However, the Bulldogs should likely be ranked out of the top three, and the top five could also be in question.
Final ranking prediction: No. 5
