A lot of the national playoff chatter has been split between brands and résumés, and Georgia keeps landing in the same place: a roster people trust, paired with a coach who’s already proven he can navigate the pressure cooker. In a coaches’ survey cited by The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, Georgia was one of the most common picks to win it all and also surfaced as a team others wouldn’t want to face, which tracks with how opponents view the Bulldogs when the stakes turn January-high.
247Sports noted that Kirby Smart sounded encouraged about getting key bodies back as Georgia gears up for its next challenge. Smart offered a hopeful update on wide receiver Colbie Young and center Drew Bobo, two Bulldogs who’ve been banged up, saying he’s optimistic they’ll return.
“I’m optimistic we get all those guys back,” Smart said. “We’re hopeful to get those guys back and get them recovered, get them going. They’re good football players, and they’re going to help us.”
He also acknowledged the reality of this time of year, adding that Georgia has “guys dinged up from the practices we’ve had, too.”
That matters because health, not hype, is what separates “favorite” from “survivor” once the postseason starts squeezing possessions. If Young is available, it’s another reliable option for an offense that values spacing and physical finishes.
If Bobo is back, it steadies the interior and helps Georgia play the kind of controlled, line-of-scrimmage football that travels.
Off the field, Georgia is also reshaping its future slate. Brett McMurphy of On3 reported that Georgia and Louisville mutually canceled their 2026-27 home-and-home series, with both sides aiming to pursue a neutral-site matchup at a later date.
McMurphy also reported Georgia and NC State canceled their 2033-34 home-and-home.
For a program with playoff expectations, it’s a reminder that everything is managed with the long view, roster health in the short term, and schedule math in the years ahead.
Georgia’s brand already draws respect, but it’s the availability report that will decide how far that respect can carry them.
