Georgia Football: Bulldogs aren’t going anywhere anytime soon
Georgia football fell in dramatic fashion to Alabama in the College Football Playoff Championship Game but the Bulldogs will be back, soon.
More: Takeaways from Alabama’s Championship Game win over Georgia
Georgia took Alabama to the brink, but fell to the Crimson Tide in the first overtime game in College Football Playoff National Championship Game history. The win gave Nick Saban his sixth title, further solidifying his presence among the all-time greats in college football coaching history.
The next several days (and weeks) will be spent lauding the Crimson Tide, but don’t forget about the Georgia Bulldogs.
Lost championships are tough to swallow, but it would be a mistake to write off Georgia as a one-hit wonder. Kirby Smart is building a program in Athens that is going to contender with Alabama for Championships now and hopefully take over as the SEC’s juggernaut when Saban eventually decides he’s ready to retire.
The Bulldogs won the SEC Championship before walking off with a thrilling Rose Bowl victory. Their loss to Alabama was heartbreaking, but there were signs that pointed to a bright future for Georgia. Here are three reasons the Bulldogs will be back to the Championship Game sooner rather than later.
3. Jake Fromm has nowhere to go but up
Lost in the midst of Georgia’s College Football Playoff run was the emergence of Jake Fromm. It’s been almost forgotten that Fromm, like Alabama’s hero Tua Tagovailoa, is a freshman. He started this season as the Bulldogs’ backup before Jacob Eason went down during the first half of Georgia’s season opener. That opened the door for what became one of Georgia’s most memorable seasons in Georgia history.
Fromm completed 16-of-32 passes for 232 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the Bulldogs’ National Championship Game loss. It was his first multi-interception game of his career, but both picks were somewhat strange. The first was ripped out of the hands of Javon Wims and the second bounced off a helmet and was snared off the deflection.
Outside of those unfortunate passes Fromm was efficient with the football and huge on third down. Fromm was 5-of-11 on third down for 148 yards. He wasn’t afraid to look down the field and his head coach trusted him to do more than become a game manager.
Fromm will need to improve on his calm under pressure, which is something easier said that done. But when he takes his time and sets his feet, he can put the ball just about anywhere he wants on the field.
2. Kirby Smart is out-recruiting Nick Saban
The inaugural early signing period was a learning experience for coaches, teams and players. While others were feeling out the new environment the Bulldogs seized the No. 1 ranking for their 2018 recruiting class. They also own the top 2019 class as well. Alabama has topped the national rankings every year since 2011 without fail, but Kirby Smart hasn’t flinched.
Georgia’s potential of back-to-back No. 1 classes signifies a changing of the guard. The driving force behind Alabama’s five championships in the past 10 years have been the talent on their roster. There aren’t many teams in the country that can bench their starting quarterback and bring in a 5-star playmaker off the bench. Alabama can. Georgia has the quarterback depth, and then some. But they’re building a roster, like Alabama, that can sustain losses and continue to produce on a high level.
There are so many factors that go into a college football championship, but talent and coaching are at the top of the list. Smart took a talented roster to the cusp of his first national title and will reload that roster with a plethora of 5-star players. He’s not building for one great season, he’s building for the long haul. Someone is going to knock off Nick Saban sooner or later, and Georgia is going to be ready when the time comes.
1. The SEC East is still much weaker than the SEC West
The SEC might have had a “down year” but the two top teams both peaked at the right moment. There’s no question that Alabama and Georgia are going to be the favorites in their respective divisions next season, but the Bulldogs path is significantly easier.
Saban has to deal with Auburn, a new-look Texas A&M coached by Jimbo Fisher and the always dangerous LSU. Alabama and Georgia both lost to Auburn this season, but the Bulldogs weren’t kept out of the SEC Championship by that single stumble given their status as SEC East members.
Smart’s biggest rival in the SEC East, Florida, is facing a rebuilding season under new head coach Dan Mullen. Jeremy Pruitt is in his first season as a head coach at Tennessee and will need a few seasons to get his feet wet. Will Muschamp and South Carolina might prove to be the Bulldogs’ toughest challengers in the East.
Next: Way-too-early Top 25 rankings
It’s going to be a surprise if Alabama and Georgia aren’t playing for a trip to the College Football Playoff in the SEC Championship Game next season. The Tide are going to have to work a lot harder to get there, and that makes Georgia a National Championship threat again in 2018 and beyond.