### Georgia Bulldogs Face Potential Exclusion from CFP Amid Historic Season

In a surprising twist, the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee has hinted that the Georgia Bulldogs, winners of two of the last three national championships, might not make the final 12-team playoff field this season. Despite starting the season as the preseason No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, the Bulldogs find themselves perilously close to being left out of the playoffs. If this week's CFP rankings were used to create the bracket, Georgia, currently ranked 12th, would miss out, with No. 13 Boise State sliding in as the 12th seed due to the rule favoring conference champions.

These weekly rankings are preliminary, crafted more for television, with the definitive selections only coming on Selection Sunday, December 8. The scrutiny faced by the committee is expected, given the challenge of ranking teams between 5th and 12th place, a more complex task than the previous format of picking the top four teams.

While Georgia's current plight might seem confounding, their underwhelming performance this season offers some clarity. Recently suffering an 18-point loss to Ole Miss, their second of the season, and grappling with inconsistent play from quarterback Carson Beck, who leads the SEC in turnovers, has dented their playoff prospects.

Adding to the issue is a shaky defense, a critical feature of previous Kirby Smart teams, that has shown vulnerabilities. With four SEC teams projected to make the bracket, the problem isn't a lack of representation for the conference but rather Georgia's specific struggles. Notably, SEC fans are irked seeing four Big Ten teams in the committee's top five, while ACC and Big 12 fans face the prospect of their conferences being limited to one bid each.

The controversy over Georgia's ranking partly stems from the team's high-profile status. Kirby Smart, succeeding the recently retired Nick Saban as the sport's new standard-bearer, has set lofty expectations. Moreover, Georgia has faced the nation's most challenging schedule, according to ESPN’s strength of schedule metrics, making their two losses seem more palatable to fans.

Selection committee chair Warde Manuel cited Georgia's offensive inconsistency and turnover woes as contributing factors to their ranking. He also emphasized the committee's adherence to considering head-to-head results, necessitating Georgia to be ranked below the teams they’ve lost to, such as Alabama and Ole Miss.

This scenario has led to an existential crisis among Georgia fans and advocates of the SEC’s dominance. They argue that a two-loss Georgia, or even a three-loss Georgia, should still be in contention for the CFP. The intricate play-off system and conference championship outcomes further complicate predictions, especially with CFP executive director Rich Clark indicating teams losing their conference finals might not be penalized as harshly.

As Georgia prepares to face Tennessee and potentially secure a spot in the SEC championship game, questions remain about how a potential third loss would be viewed by the selection committee. The debate extends to other conferences, prompting discussion about consistent criteria across the board.

Ultimately, the ongoing CFP debates underscore the value placed on brand and reputation. The scrutiny Georgia faces is partly because of their storied history and SEC affiliation. If another team shared Georgia's resume but lacked their brand recognition, consensus might lean towards exclusion without much debate.

This season tests the patience of college football fans as the new format plays out, riddled with surprises. With Georgia on the cusp of missing the playoff, the landscape of college football appears poised for a dramatic shift that few anticipated at the season's outset.