The 2024 college football season continues to unfold with significant excitement and unexpected outcomes. One of the major upsets occurred this week when No. 1 Georgia faced No. 4 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where the Crimson Tide triumphed 41-34. The game initially appeared to be heading towards an Alabama blowout, as they jumped to a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter and led 30-7 at halftime.
Georgia, entering the match as a one-point favorite, aimed to maintain their top ranking while Alabama was competing in its first SEC game under new coach Kalen DeBoer following the retirement of the legendary Nick Saban. Despite falling behind, the Bulldogs mounted a comeback in the second half, outscoring Alabama 27-11 and eventually taking a 34-33 lead with just over two minutes remaining. However, Jalen Milroe connected with Ryan Williams for a decisive 75-yard touchdown just moments later, sealing Georgia’s fate with an interception in the end zone.
Despite this loss, Georgia remains in contention for both the College Football Playoff and the SEC championship as the CFP expands to include 12 teams, and the SEC has eliminated divisions. The Bulldogs’ performance may help them retain a favorable ranking in the upcoming US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 rankings.
A look at the results for the top 10 teams in the Coaches Poll from Saturday’s games shows:
– No. 1 Georgia: lost 41-34 to Alabama
– No. 2 Texas: won 35-13 over Mississippi State
– No. 3 Ohio State: won 38-7 against Michigan State
– No. 4 Alabama: won 41-34 over Georgia
– No. 5 Ole Miss: lost 20-17 to Kentucky
– No. 6 Tennessee: had a bye
– No. 7 Oregon: played at UCLA
– No. 8 Penn State: won 21-7 over No. 21 Illinois
– No. 9 Miami: won 38-34 against Virginia Tech
– No. 10 Utah: played against Arizona
Two weeks ago, Georgia narrowly defeated Kentucky 13-12 before their bye week leading up to the Alabama game. This previous performance had temporarily dropped them to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 while they maintained the No. 1 spot in the Coaches Poll. However, following the Alabama loss, they are expected to drop in the rankings.
Ohio State’s recent win over Michigan State, along with Texas’ performance earlier in the season and Alabama’s victory over Georgia, are highlighted as some of the standout wins of this season. Georgia is unlikely to fall out of the top seven due to Ole Miss’s loss, but a drop out of the top three seems probable, and they may even find themselves outside the top five.
Final ranking prediction: No. 5.