Kirby Smart and Georgia Bulldogs crushed Alabama so badly the entire College Football Playoff bracket should change
Georgia’s defense destroyed Kalen Deboer, Ty Simpson, Crimson Tide as the Bulldogs playoff path just got much, much easier
Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs completely annihilated the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday. Georgia trounced Alabama 28-7 in what was a one-sided affair throughout the entire game, and now the entire College Football Playoff bracket could and probably should change.
But what does that mean for Georgia Bulldogs fans? And their path to a national championship? Let’s dive in.
Key Stats from Georgia Bulldogs’ thrashing of Alabama Crimson Tide
- The Georgia Bulldogs racked up 141 rushing yards while Alabama managed -3
- Georgia QB Gunner Stockton completed nearly 80% of his passes and tossed three touchdowns, while Ty Simpson failed to complete 50% of his passes and scored the only Tide touchdown of the game
- Georgia consistently pressured Simpson, sacking him three times and forcing an interception, while Alabama managed just one sack and zero turnovers
- Alabama was shut out completely through three quarters, the first time that’s happened in SEC Championship Game history
Georgia Bulldogs likely knock Alabama out of playoff and help their chances at a championship
Georgia may have started a bit slow in the first quarter against Alabama, but then it scored three touchdowns on its next five drives, jumping out to a dominant 21-0 lead.
As the fourth quarter kicked off, the Bulldogs had allowed just 77 total yards of offense, as Kalen DeBoer and the alleged first-round quarterback prospect Ty Simpson were shut out through three quarters of action. That made Alabama the first team in the entire history of the SEC Championship Game to be shut out through three quarters.
Georgia’s defense just looks completely different. Pressure comes easily. The blitz packages are working every time. The offense is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do now, too. The run game is thriving. Gunner Stockton is making efficient decisions.
The Bulldogs look like a contender to win it all. Alabama does not. What does that mean? Georgia is likely locked into the No. 2 seed now, giving them a smooth path to the semifinals and perhaps the national championship game. Alabama is likely kicked out of the playoff now.
Thanks to the humiliating losses for Alabama and BYU (to Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship), this opens up the potential for the College Football Playoff selection committee to drop both of those teams below Notre Dame and Miami. If that happens, then the No. 11 and 12 seeds are still going to be automatically eliminated cupcakes (a weak ACC champ and/or Group of Five teams who don’t really belong), which doesn’t really impact Georgia. However, other variables may give the Bulldogs an easier path.
Notre Dame or Miami will likely end up as the No. 10 seed that will face off against Texas A&M (if the rankings hold from last week). The Aggies were just embarrassed by Texas a week ago, and they likely don’t match up well against Georgia.
If they do manage to move on, the Bulldogs likely hold an edge. Suppose Miami or Notre Dame (who has already played A&M this year) sneak through. In that case, again, Georgia’s newfound pass rush and defense should hold a major edge over former Georgia QB Carson Beck or a redshirt freshman in CJ Carr for Notre Dame.
Texas Tech likely secures the three seed with its Big 12 Championship Game win, and its pass rush could present some problems for Georgia. Still, it’s likely weaker than Ohio State and IU (who could have ended up in the No. 3 seed spot instead).
In short, thanks to Championship Weekend results, Georgia quite likely took out the only real competition (Alabama), which could have ended up on their side of the bracket, and the Bulldogs should have the easiest path to the title game of any team in the playoff. Beautiful for Bulldogs fans.
We’ll be back with more Georgia Bulldogs coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
