Joel Klatt explains Georgia's ranking in way-too-early Top 10

Joel Klatt ranked Georgia as the No. 4 team in his way-too-early Top 10 rankings for the 2025 campaign. Last week, the FOX Sports analyst explained his high expectations for the Bulldogs next season.

“Georgia, and what they have done, from a roster-building standpoint, is impressive, and that’s why they will continue to be in here at No. 4,” Klatt said. “I felt like it was just a down year for Georgia, and yet they navigated the hardest schedule in the country, won the SEC and they were sitting there in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals with a backup quarterback.

“So, if we think Georgia is going anywhere, that this is some sort of a trend in the wrong direction, I think that we would all be sorely mistaken. Kirby Smart is far too driven.”

As Klatt mentioned, Georgia didn’t have it easy this past season. The team faced a gauntlet during the regular season, facing off against five ranked opponents and a talented Georgia Tech squad.

Then, instead of being able to rest up for the CFP, Georgia squeaked out an overtime thriller against Texas in the SEC Championship. However, Georgia couldn’t celebrate too much because its starting quarterback, Carson Beck, suffered a season-ending injury in the game.

To make matters worse, Beck transferred to Miami after the season ended, leaving Georgia with one less option at QB next season. Despite so many setbacks, Klatt is confident that Georgia will reassert itself as one of the top teams in college football in 2025.

“I don’t have a lot of questions for a team that their last four recruiting classes were second, first, second and third in the country,” Klatt said. “I know that they’re loaded with talent, even if they lose a few guys to the transfer portal. This is going to be an incredible team.

“Gunner Stockton comes in at QB now, with Carson Beck gone. Stockton wasn’t the reason they lost to Notre Dame. He wasn’t at all. They need to upgrade on the outside, and I think that they can, and they’ve got to become a better and more dominant run team, which they were in their two years winning the national championship and they were not last year. They need to get back to that.”

Georgia has already addressed its need to add talent outwide. The Bulldogs picked up standout wide receivers Zachariah Branch and Noah Thomas in the transfer portal this offseason. With Oscar Delp also returning, Gunner Stockton will have a surplus of targets to throw to next season.

Simply put, Joel Klatt loves Georgia’s odds of finding success next season.

“They’re going to be right there,” Klatt said. “It’s not quite as tough a schedule, it’s still very tough but it’s not quite as tough, mostly because of location. They get a lot of their tough opponents at home.”