2022 Defending Champion Georgia Analysis

After an excellent 14-1 season, the defending National Champion Georgia Bulldogs look to march into the 2022 season with high hopes of returning to the College Football Playoff. Georgia also hopes to win back-to-back national championships for the first time since Alabama in 2011 and 2012, though the path in 2022 may be much more difficult than it was in 2021. Georgia is returning 10 starters (meaning started 7 or more games) from the national championship team and only 3 of those returning players are on the defensive side of the ball, being Georgia’s staple in 2021. Those three returning players include: Chris Smith at safety who had 35 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 4 pass breakups. Kelee Ringo at Cornerback who had 34 tackles, 8 pass breakups (places 2nd on the team) and 2 interceptions, the player who sealed the victory against Alabama with a 79-yard pick six in the National Championship Game. Nolan Smith, the final returning starter on defense, plays Outside Linebacker and totaled 56 tackles for the bulldogs which placed 5th on the team. Also including 9 tackles for loss in which he places second on the team.

Georgia has the depth to replace the remaining gaps, but the question will be, can they play at the level of the 2021 team? Offensively, the Bulldogs should be in good shape, they return QB in Stetson Bennett who completed 64 percent of his passes and threw for over 2800 yards with 29 TDs to only 7 interceptions. As well as returning Right Tackle Warren McClendon, Right Guard Warren Ericson, Center Sedrick Van Pran, Tight End Brock Bowers, and Wide Receivers Ladd McConkey and Adonai Mitchell. These 7 of the 11 starters should be able to maintain the explosiveness that was the 2021 Georgia offense. They averaged 443 yards a game and 7 yards per play. If the Bulldogs can replicate these numbers in 2022, they will find an easy path to the SEC title game and likely land themselves back in the College Football Playoff.

Georgia doesn’t have to face the Crimson Tide in the Regular season and seeing as they only have four true road games, the Bulldogs schedule shows there isn’t anything to immediately cause concern for Bulldog fans. The toughest match-up that Georgia will face is Oregon on a neutral field in Atlanta and what I believe will be South Carolina in Columbia. In these early season games, we will get to see what Georgia is made of on all sides of the ball and will get an early showing of what is to be expected from the Bulldogs the rest of the year. From what I can tell, Georgia will have an undefeated regular season and be in the SEC title game, being pitted against west rival, the Alabama Crimson Tide. These two will not only be competing for the SEC championship, but the number 1 seed going into Playoff Selection Day.