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AP Poll: Georgia finishes sixth in nation after CFP Quarterfinal loss

Palmber-Thombsby:Palmer Thombs•about 16 hours•

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Kirby Smart Georgia
Jan 2, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart talks to wide receiver Anthony Evans III (5) before the kick off from the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The final AP Poll of the season is out, and Georgia will finish 2024 ranked No. 6. After claiming the College Football Playoff National Championship last night with a win over Notre Dame, Ohio State comes in atop the rankings according to the 56 voters with the Irish just behind them at No. 2. Semifinalists Texas and Penn State are ranked No. 4 and No. 5 respectively with Oregon, which went unbeaten up until the Playoffs, sandwiched in between at No. 3.

Georgia’s ranking outside the top 5 is a first since 2020, hoisting the National Championship trophy on the final Monday night of the season in 2021 and 2022 before impressively dominating Florida State to finish as the first non-Playoff team in last year’s final AP Poll. Under Kirby Smart’s direction, the Bulldogs have finished outside the top-10 just once – 2016, Smart’s first season in Athens.

It’s now officially the offseason in College Football, which has been the case at Georgia for a few weeks now. UGA saw its season come to an end on January 2nd in New Orleans at the hands of Notre Dame. Gunner Stockton made his first career start in place of an injured Carson Beck, and the Bulldogs just couldn’t quite do enough around him to help. A pair of first half turnovers proved costly as Notre Dame scored its only offensive touchdown of the game when given the short field just before the halftime break. Then, when the Irish returned the opening kickoff for a 98-yard touchdown, Georgia found itself trailing by three scores, 20-3.

Stockton, who enters 2025 as the expected starter for Georgia, finished the game throwing for 234 yards and a 32-yard touchdown completion on 20-of-32 passing. The Bulldogs out-gained Notre Dame, but it was Riley Leonard (15-of-24, 90 passing yards, 1 touchdown, 14 attempts, 90 rushing yards) and the squad from South Bend that advanced to play Penn State in the Orange Bowl.

Since then, Georgia’s roster for next season has shaped up. Guys like Trevor Etienne, Tate Ratledge, Mykel Williams, Jalon Walker and Malaki Starks announced intentions to enter the NFL Draft. Carson Beck, after doing the same prior to the Sugar Bowl, surprisingly entered the transfer portal and decided on Miami as his next destination. He’s one of 12 players from this season’s team to do so.

It hasn’t been all bad news though for the Bulldogs. Georgia did get back the likes of Dillon Bell, Oscar Delp, Daylen Everette and Christen Miller – each of whom announced they would return for their fourth season in Athens. Transfer portal additions have included former five-star Zachariah Branch (USC), a proven SEC pass catcher Noah Thomas (Texas A&M) and an interesting trio of in the secondary (Zion Branch – USC, Jaden Harris – Miami, Adrian Maddox – UAB).

Georgia is considered to be a top-5 team by ESPN, Sporting News and Athlon Sports in each publication’s respective way-too-early preseason rankings for 2025 with a win total over/under set at 9.5 by FanDuel.

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