For the first time since Georgia took on Vanderbilt on Sept. 25, the Bulldogs will play an unranked team the next time they see the field.
Georgia will hold the No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll coming off a commanding 30-13 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats. Florida meanwhile, fell out of the rankings for the first time all season after a 49-42 loss to LSU.
Kirby Smart was pleased with how his team played against a physical Kentucky team, one that beat Florida earlier in the season.
“It’s pride in performance and the standard of excellence that we want,” Smart said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s offense or defense or special teams. If you go out there you compete at your highest level to be the best in the country. And that doesn’t change. When you play like that it kind of makes it where your focus is on getting better, not on stats and where you land.
“Our kids, offense, defense and special teams, played really hard.”
Georgia also came in at No. 1 in this week’s Coaches Poll as well. The Bulldogs also had every first-place vote as well.
There was another top 5 team that lost this week, as Iowa fell to unranked Purdue. Cincinnati moves up to No. 2, followed by Oklahoma at No. 3, Alabama at No. 4 and Ohio State at No. 5.
The Bulldogs have played three straight games against ranked foes but the schedule should lighten up the rest of the way. As it stands, Georgia does not play a ranked team for the rest of the regular season.
Georgia enters the off week with a chance to get healthy, as a number of players have been battling injuries. It’s a scary thought to think this Georgia team could get even better as it gets players such as JT Daniels, George Pickens, Chris Smith, Jermaine Burton and others back from injury.
Georgia and Florida will meet in Jacksonville, Fla., on Oct. 30. To see the full Week 8 AP Poll, see below.
AP Poll Top 25 Week 8 rankings
- Georgia
- Cincinnati
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Penn State
- Oklahoma State
- Michigan State
- Oregon
- Iowa
- Ole Miss
- Notre Dame
- Coastal Carolina
- Kentucky
- Wake Forest
- Texas A&M
- NC State
- Auburn
- Baylor
- SMU
- San Diego State
- Pitt
- UTSA
- Purdue
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- Coaches Poll Top 25 rankings Week 8: No. 1 Georgia makes statement against Kentucky
- Georgia tight ends, defensive line dominate social media chatter after beating Kentucky
- Mark Stoops: Why Kentucky called timeout to land final punch on scoreboard in 30-13 loss
- Georgia football-Kentucky games perfectly illustrate improvement of Stetson Bennett
- ‘How could he not be the Heisman?’ Jordan Davis praise ramps up after ‘Godzilla-like’ performance for Georgia football
- Kirby Smart: ‘never satisfied,’ but praises OC Todd Monken, identifies play of the game
