Georgia debuts at No. 3 in first 2019 AP Poll
The first AP Poll of the college football season came out on Monday. And it seems that voters think pretty highly of the Bulldogs, as Georgia came in as the No. 3 ranked team in the nation.
The Bulldogs enter the 2019 season slotted only behind No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Alabama. Those two teams played for the national title a season ago, with Clemson winning 44-16. Alabama took down Georgia in the SEC championship game, with the Crimson Tide winning by a score of 35-28.
Oklahoma came in at No. 4 followed by Ohio State at No. 5. Both those schools will have transfer quarterbacks leading the way. Oklahoma will be led by former Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts, while Ohio State has former Georgia quarterback Justin Fields to guide its offense.
Georgia was one of six ranked SEC teams in the poll. The other SEC teams to make the top 25 include LSU at No. 6, Florida at No. 8, Texas A&M at No. 12, Auburn coming in at No. 16. In addition to Florida, Texas A&M and Auburn, Georgia will also host the No. 9 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish this year. Georgia and Notre Dame will meet on Sept. 21. The game is scheduled for an 8 p.m. kickoff and will air on CBS.
Related: Why Georgia-Notre Dame is college football’s most anticipated 2019 game
Georgia went 11-3 last season but ended the 2018 campaign on a two-game losing streak. After falling to Alabama in the SEC championship game, the Bulldogs lost to Texas in the Sugar Bowl. Georgia ended last season ranked No. 7 in the final AP Poll.
The Bulldogs return a number of contributors from last year’s team, highlighted by quarterback Jake Fromm and running back D’Andre Swift. In the first Coaches Poll, Georgia also came in ranked as the No. 3 team in the country.
The Bulldogs also brought in the nation’s No. 2 overall signing class, led by 5-star prospects Nolan Smith and George Pickens.
The 2019 season starts for Georgia on Aug. 31, when the Bulldogs visit the Vanderbilt Commodores. The game is set for a 7:30 p.m. ET start time and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
AP Poll Top 25: Preseason 2019 rankings
| No. | School | Conference |
| 1. | Clemson | ACC |
| 2. | Alabama | SEC |
| 3. | Georgia | SEC |
| 4. | Oklahoma | Big 12 |
| 5. | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| 6. | LSU | SEC |
| 7. | Michigan | Big Ten |
| 8. | Florida | SEC |
| 9. | Notre Dame | Independent |
| 10. | Texas | Big 12 |
| 11. | Oregon | PAC 12 |
| 12. | Texas A&M | SEC |
| 13. | Washington | PAC 12 |
| 14. | Utah | PAC 12 |
| 15. | Penn State | Big Ten |
| 16. | Auburn | SEC |
| 17. | UCF | AAC |
| 18. | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| 19. | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| 20. | Iowa | Big Ten |
| 21. | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| 22. | Syracuse | ACC |
| 23. | Washington State | PAC 12 |
| 24. | Nebraska | Big Ten |
| 25. | Stanford | PAC 12 |
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