Georgia Climbs to No. 6 in Coaches Poll Following Wins and SEC Shakeups
ICARO Media Group
In a dynamic week for college football, the Georgia Bulldogs secured a resounding 59-21 victory over UMass, propelling them to No. 6 in the Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings for Week 14. This ascent comes amid significant losses by other leading SEC teams. Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M all faced defeats on Saturday, aiding Georgia's upward movement in the rankings.
Alabama's struggles continued as they fell 24-3 to Oklahoma. Ole Miss also stumbled, losing 24-17 to Florida, while Texas A&M endured a dramatic quadruple-overtime loss to Auburn. Indiana's defeat to Ohio State added to the weekend's upsets, resulting in three top-10 teams dropping crucial games.
Oregon remains perched at the top of the rankings, having enjoyed a bye week. The Ducks are followed by Ohio State at No. 2, Texas at No. 3, Penn State at No. 4, and Notre Dame rounding out the top five.
Despite their comfortable win, the Bulldogs displayed defensive vulnerabilities, conceding 226 rushing yards to UMass. Head Coach Kirby Smart expressed dissatisfaction with his team's defensive performance, emphasizing a lack of preparedness and energy compared to their opponents.
"I don't know that it was just tackling," Smart commented. "We did not tackle well, but it was more than just tackling. I just don't think our guys were ready to play and energized to play as their guys were."
Looking ahead, Georgia faces a sterner test as they prepare to take on Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets bring a 7-4 record and are fresh off a narrow 30-29 victory over NC State. Notably, Georgia Tech has not beaten Georgia since 2016, Kirby Smart's debut season in Athens.
Highlighting the significance of this rivalry, Smart remarked, "It's a huge game, it's a rivalry game, it's the end of the year, it's inner state, it's conference. It's representing your state, your program, and your conference."
Friday's much-anticipated game against Georgia Tech is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff and will be broadcast on ABC. The College Football Playoff rankings for Week 14 will be unveiled on Tuesday night.
