Danny Kanell explains why Georgia is a lock to make the College Football Playoff
Danny Kanell is very high on Georgia and he has the Bulldogs as a lock for the 12-team College Football Playoff this season.
Based on the team’s track record, the production it brings back and Kirby Smart, don’t expect Georgia to miss the playoff for the second straight year. This team is simply too good to fail like that.
It’s just a matter of how high the Bulldogs will be by the end of the regular season.
“I love Georgia to make the playoff,” Kanell said on The Ryen Russillo Podcast. “I don’t know if I’m gonna pick them to win it all. I saw a stat from David Hale at ESPN, that Georgia, I don’t know if you saw this, has not lost to a coach other than Nick Saban in the regular season since November 7, 2020, an active FBS coach since November or since January 1, 2019 which was Tom Herman when he was in Texas.
“And Kirby Smart hasn’t lost to an active FBS coach in an SEC game since November 17 of 2017. Their dominance in the regular season is absolutely out of control.”
Kanell likes the Georgia quarterback situation. He also pointed out how there’s more room for error considering the playoff expansion.
“Carson Beck, I feel really good trusting him,” Kanell said. “I think he’s got to take another step and kind of showcase where he’s projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, but as far as what he’s done at Georgia, and here’s the other reason I think they’re a lock to get to the playoffs, they could be 10-2, and they’re a lock to get in.
“And that could be a situation which could unfold with road games at Bama and at Texas, and even if they slipped, you know, had one other slip up and again, all these are kind of outrageous to even suggest that they could lose these games based on the stat I just gave you, but they’re gonna get in. Like they’re in the playoff no matter what.”
In the end, the expansion might favor the big named teams who have the more difficult schedule and hype coming in, like Georgia.
“That’s why, you know, the expansion, I think some people might have thought, ‘Oh, this is great for the Group of Five. They’re going to get a team in. Or this is great for Penn State, you know, because they’ve always been on the outside looking in,’” Kanell said. “While it is good for those teams, I think it’s better for Georgia … last year was a great example. You can’t get in because there’s only four teams. Now, you’re probably going to get in almost every year …
“So I think it really favors some of the heavy weights more. Sure, we might see upsets. I think it really benefits a team like Georgia. So, like, I’m a believer that Georgia’s going to be in the playoff. Do they win it? I don’t know, but I feel like they are a lock.”