University gridiron action officially commences this month.
With August upon us, the countdown is on: less than a fortnight remains until Kansas State and Iowa State clash in Dublin, signaling the dawn of the 2025 regular season. As the season’s start rapidly approaches, we’re excited to unveil our preseason Top 25 selections.
Following closely, we’ll spotlight the team holding the No. 5 spot in our rankings; the remaining teams will be disclosed in the days ahead. (All odds are sourced from BetMGM.)
Previously: Teams ranked Nos. 11 through 25, No. 10 Miami, No. 9 Alabama, No. 8 Notre Dame, No. 7 LSU, No. 6 Ohio State
No. 5 Georgia
-
Championship title aspirations: +700
-
Probabilities of participating in the College Football Playoff: -285
[Participate in or establish a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season]
2024 in 100 words
The Bulldogs demonstrated their dominance with a decisive victory over Clemson in their opening game, affirming their position as the nation’s top-ranked team at the season’s outset. However, the vulnerabilities of this Georgia squad were glaringly evident during the first half of their 41-34 defeat against Alabama in Week 5. Despite Georgia’s commendable comeback attempt, the Bulldogs’ offensive capabilities proved insufficient in pivotal moments.
Georgia secured a significant 30-15 triumph over Texas in October, yet managed a mere 10 points in a loss to Ole Miss. The Bulldogs later avenged this loss with a victory over the Longhorns in the SEC championship, but their offensive struggles persisted, scoring just 10 points against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, leading to an early exit from the College Football Playoff.
Will Georgia secure a spot in the College Football Playoff for the fourth occasion in five years? (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)
The quarterback
Stockton experienced an unexpected early introduction as Georgia’s primary QB. He was thrust into action during the SEC title game’s second half after Carson Beck sustained a season-ending elbow injury in the first half’s final play. Stockton commenced the Sugar Bowl and demonstrated composure, completing 20 of 32 passes for 234 yards and a TD.
“One aspect I truly value about Gunner, and most quarterbacks, is his preparation for each game as if he were the starter,” remarked Georgia head coach Kirby Smart.
“While some might dismiss this as mere coach-speak, he genuinely embodies this approach. He dedicated himself to extra film study, fully aware that he could be called upon at any moment. His performance wasn’t in a situation with a significant lead or against a weaker opponent. He faced a top-tier defense [Against Texas] in one of the season’s most crucial games and performed admirably, especially considering his limited reps with the first-string players.”
He benefitted from a full spring’s worth of reps as the starter during the offseason and steps into 2025 as the undisputed No. 1 QB.
“I believe that going through spring was a significant advantage, providing a dedicated month of focused work and practice, accumulating valuable reps,” Stockton explained. “Moreover, the offseason activities, including 7-on-7 sessions and consistent workouts, fostered enhanced teamwork and coordination.”
Non-QB to watch
Beck’s difficulties in 2024, following a breakthrough 2023 season, became a prominent topic. However, his increased interception rate stemmed from a confluence of factors as Georgia sought dependable targets to replace Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey, who had transitioned to the NFL.
Dominic Lovett emerged as Georgia’s leading receiver, yet his average was just over 10 yards per reception. Arian Smith served as the team’s deep threat, but his performance was inconsistent. Running back Trevor Etienne recorded the fourth-most catches on the team, averaging a mere 6 yards per reception.
Georgia and Smart prioritized addressing the receiving group through the transfer portal. Branch arrives from USC, accompanied by Texas A&M wide receiver Noah Thomas. Former Miami wide receiver Colbie Young is set to begin his second season at Georgia.
Branch possesses the potential to be a game-changer, although Georgia must devise a more effective utilization strategy compared to USC’s approach at times. Branch tallied six catches for 98 yards against Michigan and six grabs for 102 yards against Washington. Conversely, he had three catches for 10 yards against Minnesota, two for 6 yards against Penn State, and two for 13 yards against UCLA.
Daylen Everette returns to anchor a talented Georgia secondary. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)
(CFP via Getty Images)
Best position group
Georgia’s defensive performance experienced a slight decline in 2024. Opposing teams averaged over 5 yards per play for the first time since 2016, with opposing QBs completing 59% of their passes for an average of 200 yards a game.
Despite the departures of Malaki Starks and Dan Jackson from the secondary, the unit possesses the potential for improvement in 2025. Daylen Everette returns at cornerback, and KJ Bolden has the potential to emerge as the next standout Georgia safety, having amassed 59 tackles as a freshman in 2024. The defense has also been bolstered by the addition of safety Zion Branch — Zachariah’s brother — from USC, Miami’s Jaden Harris, and former UAB safety Adrian Maddox, creating considerable depth within the unit.
The program follows a “next man up” approach across every defensive unit, and the secondary could very well emerge as the strongest among them.
Biggest game
Georgia benefits from the favorable side of the SEC’s schedule rotation this season. Following the conference’s expansion to 16 teams in 2024, the Bulldogs faced road games against Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas. Now, these three teams will visit Athens, while Georgia will travel to Tennessee, Auburn, and Mississippi State. These constitute Georgia’s only three true road games throughout the season. The trip to Starkville represents the Bulldogs’ longest journey during the regular season.
While any of these three significant home games could be selected, we’ll opt for Texas. It marks the final conference game of the season for the Bulldogs. Georgia may require a victory to secure a spot in the SEC title game, while other teams in the league navigate additional conference matchups before December.
Why Georgia is No. 5
This is where the dividends of years of successful recruiting are realized. While Georgia may not have an abundance of players on this year’s team who are widely recognized by casual fans, the roster is teeming with talent, and it is highly probable that stars will emerge as the season progresses. During SEC media days, Smart noted that over half of his roster was entering their first or second year at Georgia.
The offense is anticipated to more closely resemble its 2023 form than its 2024 iteration. Georgia averaged 92 fewer yards per game and 1.3 fewer yards per play compared to 2023. These struggles extended beyond the passing game, as injuries within the running back unit took their toll, resulting in freshman Nate Frazier becoming the team’s leading rusher. Frazier returns this season, complemented by four new starters on the offensive line. Despite these new faces up front, the run game is expected to improve.
Stockton is also poised to excel at quarterback. With a greater array of playmakers on offense, he can effectively assume the role of distributor. In 2024, Beck seemed compelled to force plays too frequently. A favorable schedule should position the Bulldogs favorably for yet another SEC title.
