Top 5 College Football Powerhouse Snubbed by AP Voters

Week 2 of the 2026 college football season is here, and that means a new AP Top 25 has been released.

AP Voters Snub the Georgia Bulldogs

But there was something interesting about this week's top 25. Seven teams received first-place votes: The No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes, the No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the No. 4 Texas Longhorns, the No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers, the No. 6 Oregon Ducks, the No. 7 Miami Hurricanes and the No. 8 LSU Tigers. What's notable about that is that the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs were not one of the teams to receive first-place votes.

Kirby Smart's team has dominated the SEC, winning the last two conference titles and three of the last four. The Bulldogs opened with a dominant 63-3 win over Tennessee State. The offense was electric, totaling 660 yards of offense. Quarterback Gunner Stockton went 15-of-16 for 202 yards and three scores.

Kirby Smart's Bulldogs Looked Like a National Championship Contender

The defense was also stifling, reminiscent of some of the dominant defenses of the past. Georgia held Tennessee State to just 109 yards of total offense. The Bulldogs had seven tackles for loss and three sacks. That's why it's surprising to see that Georgia didn't get any first-place votes when other teams that struggled did receive votes.

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) passes the ball. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now, the argument against Georgia is that the Bulldogs didn't play a superior opponent. Tennessee State is an FCS program. But Georgia has upcoming games against the No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners, No. 12 Alabama Crimson Tide, No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels and the No. 23 Missouri Tigers. So, there is time for them to start gaining that respect from the voters.

Georgia Has Plenty of Time to Change the AP Voters' Minds

The argument against Georgia receiving first-place votes is understandable when considering what some of the other contenders accomplished. Ohio State dominated Ball State, LSU dismantled Clemson and Indiana continued its remarkable winning streak. Oregon, meanwhile, did struggle against Boise State, but pulled away for a 34-27 win.

Still, Georgia's position at No. 2 shows that voters clearly view the Bulldogs as one of the nation's elite teams. The absence of first-place votes is more of a reflection of the crowded championship picture than a lack of confidence in Smart's team. As the schedule gets tougher, Georgia will have opportunities to turn that respect into votes, and potentially make the debate over the country's best team much harder to ignore.

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