Georgia's Biggest Key to a Return to the CFP
It takes quite a bit of luck and effort to make a College Football Playoff. History tells us it takes at least a one-loss schedule, and a resume of worthy of entry.
You have to avoid injuries, upsets, and overall wear and tear of a 13-game schedule, particularly if you play in the SEC. So, if you're going to make a college football playoff it takes years of recruiting at an elite level, a damn-near-perfect season, and a tremendous amount of luck and breaks along the way.
So, if Georgia is going to make it back to yet another playoff under head coach Kirby Smart, what's the biggest key? Well, it's pretty simple, it's the schedule.
ESPN released their way too early Top-25, and take a look at where Georgia's opponents in 2022 reside:
- No. 16 Oregon Sept. 3 Atlanta, GA
- Samford Sept. 10 Athens, GA
- @ South Carolina Sept. 17 Columbia, SC
- Kent State Sept. 24 Athens, GA
- @Missouri Oct. 1 Columbia, MO
- Auburn Oct. 8 Athens, GA
- Vanderbilt Oct. 15 Athens, GA
- OFF Oct. 22
- Florida Oct. 29 Jacksonville, FL
- No. 24 Tennessee Nov. 5 Athens, GA
- @Mississippi State Nov. 12 Starkville, MS
- No. 22 @Kentucky Nov. 19 Lexington, KY
- Georgia Tech Nov. 26 Athens, GA
- SEC Championship Dec. 3 Atlanta, GA
Not exactly murderers' row. Though the same could have been said of the 2021 schedule outside of Clemson before Arkansas and Kentucky turned into College Gameday-worthy matchups.
Three ranked opponents, with only one of them being on the road, and the season kick-off game coming against the high-ranked opponent on the schedule in Oregon at a "Neutral" site here in Atlanta, Georgia.
SEC West crossover opponents in Auburn in a rebuild and Mississippi State couldn't get much easier for the Bulldogs in 2022.
Then you take a look at the rest of the SEC East. Tennessee and Kentucky are programs on the rise with solid to elite quarterback play in Hendon Hooker and Will Levis respectfully. However, Georgia on paper will likely be at least a touchdown favorite in all of their regular-season games.
So, IF Georgia can do what they did in 2021, which was avoid an upset on the way to an undefeated regular season, then it doesn't matter what happens in the SEC Championship, their ticket to the CFP will be punched.
Enjoy a relatively easy schedule for the time being Georgia fans because Kirby Smart has stacked the non-conference slate more so than arguably any team in the country.
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