Georgia Bulldogs Projected to Defeat Defending National Champions in 2026 Playoff

The Georgia Bulldogs are projected to face the defending national champions during next year's College Football Playoff.

The 2026 college football season is still months away, however the anticipation and excitement around the never ends, as experts and analysts have begun releasing way too early predictions for the College Football Playoff.

One of the more notable organizations to do so recently is On3, which released a full College Football Playoff projection for the upcoming season. In that projection, the Georgia Bulldogs are expected to make a deep run.

According to On3, the Bulldogs will be awarded the No. 2 seed heading into the tournament (the Bulldogs have earned a top-five seed since the playoff's expansion to 12 teams) and will face none other than the No.7 seed Indiana Hoosier's in the Peach Bowl.

Both Georgia and Indiana have enjoyed successes in the previous seasons, with the two teams combining for three of the last five national championships. The Hoosiers' dominant 2025 season resulted in the first-ever 16-0 champion, while the Bulldogs completed a historic back-to-back championship run in 2021 and 2022.

Head coaches Curt Cignetti and Kirby Smart also share a unique history together, as the two figures were once on the same stuff under head coach Nick Saban. The hypothetical matchup between the two would be their first-ever meeting as head coaches.

Who is Projected to Win Between Georgia and Indiana?

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart looks toward the field during the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinals at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to On3's projection, the Bulldogs will win this contest and advance to the semifinals, where they will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl. On3 also predicts that Georgia will win that game and will face Notre Dame in the 2026 national championship.

Unfortunately, this is where the Bulldogs' success ends, as the Dawgs are projected to suffer defeat to the Irish and come just short of winning their third national title of the decade. The loss would also become Georgia's second consecutive loss to Notre Dame.

While College Football Playoff projections in the month of February are often not to be taken seriously, the prospect that many experts and analysts think Georgia will have a deep run in this year's tournament should be exciting to Dawg fans.

Georgia will begin its 2026 college football season on Saturday, September 5th, when the team hosts Tennessee State in its season opener. A TV network and kickoff time for this event will be announced at a later date.