ATHENS — New Year’s afternoon will be a tough watch for Georgia, who don’t need to wonder what might have been.

The Bulldogs know, a three-peat was within their grasp, more possible than most might have expected considering all the turnover.

There are three major reasons Georgia didn’t win the national championship this season, even as many believe they should have after watching the 63-3 win over Florida State.

The Bulldogs were focused and played with a refreshed passion that would have been enough to beat the Seminoles with their star quarterback and opt-outs by three touchdowns.

Fact is, Georgia had a better resume for making the CFP this season than in 2021, when the Bulldogs got in despite losing 41-24 to Alabama in the SEC title game.

The landscape was different this time around, with two unbeaten Power 5 teams and Texas holding a head-to-head win over Alabama -- in Tuscaloosa -- that kept the Longhorns ahead of the Bulldogs in the pecking order through transitive properties.

It marked the first time in the 10-year history of the CFP that a team dropped from No. 1 and out of the CFP field of four on the final weekend.

First things first, it’s important Kirby Smart and his program UGA be recognized for what it did accomplish before getting into the what-ifs.

• Smart is the ultimate key to program success: He’s won 20 straight games when the Bulldogs have more than a week to prepare

• The outgoing Georgia captains, particularly Sedrick Van Pran and Kamari Lassiter, were tremendous leaders and paramount to the senior class’ record-setting 50-4 mark.

• The 2023 team opened 12-0 to carry the win streak to 29 games, a new SEC record, tying Clemson for longest of the CFP era

• OC Mike Bobo, with new QB and stars Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey missing multiple games, second national in third-down conversion rate and averaged 40.1 points per game

Now, the reasons Georgia isn’t playing tonight?

What happened in the 27-24 loss to Alabama wasn’t rocket science, the Tide won the line of scrimmage, and Georgia made mistakes on defense, offense and special teams.

But why were the Bulldogs in that situation for the game to be so close against an Alabama team that needed a fourth-and-31 touchdowns to beat Auburn?

1) The schedule

Ironically enough, Georgia’s schedule ultimately did them in. The Bulldogs faced, in order, No. 12 Missouri, No. 9 Ole Miss and No. 18 Tennessee before facing a possessed Georgia Tech. Also worth noting, the SEC title game was the Bulldogs’ third straight game away from Athens. Georgia looked tired against Alabama.

2) The injuries

Yeah, injuries are part of the game, but Georgia lost its most indispensable player — arguably the most valuable player of the 2021 and 2022 national titles, as the offense revolved around Brock Bowers. A healthy Ladd McConkey could compensate, but with Bowers and McConkey slowed, UGA didn’t have a reliable, explosive threat. Bowers played in 10 games and had 714 yards receiving, while McConkey played in 9 games and had 478 yards receiving. Tackling machine Smael Mondon was also playing hurt — and slower — against the Tide.

3) Alabama excellence

There are two teams in every game, and sometimes one team executes and schemes better. UGA and Bama could play 10 times and get 10 different results, but in this the Tide won the turnover battle, time of possession, had fewer penalties and converted on two gutsy fourth down calls that led to touchdowns as Jalen Milroe was sharper than Carson Beck.

The good news is Beck announced he will return for another season, so he’ll get another shot at Milroe and Alabama in Tuscaloosa next season.

The Bulldogs have looked to replenish their arsenal, adding gifted Florida transfer tailback Trevor Etienne, 6-foot-5 Miami receiver Colbie Young and Vanderbilt up-and-coming Vanderbilt transfer receiver London Humphreys.