Georgia begins season ranked No. 1 by Associated Press

This marks the fourth straight season that the Bulldogs have at least had the No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll, which is the longest active streak in the country at the moment.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has made it clear though that external expectations are not a concern for this team.

“I don’t feel like we’re familiar with it because we just don’t pay attention to it,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “I’ve never honestly paid any attention to it, and we don’t talk about it as a team. So the expectation is we’re going to develop and worry about today’s day, and really, we don’t think about that.”

The return and continued growth of quarterback Carson Beck is a key reason the Bulldogs came in above talented teams like Ohio State and Texas in the first poll of the season.

In his first season as a starter, he threw for 3,941 yards and accounted for 28 touchdowns. He’ll be expected to build off that this coming season. Especially if the Bulldogs are to end the season as the No. 1 team in the country.

“I think he’s got a really, really good mindset of focusing every day and controlling what he can control and getting better because last year’s last year, tomorrow’s tomorrow,” Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said. “The most important thing is today, and that’s a hard thing to do.”

The AP Poll further demonstrates how difficult Georgia’s 2024 schedule will be, as the Bulldogs are set to face five teams ranked in the preseason top 25. Of those games, only the Nov. 16 game against Tennessee comes at home.

The first of those tests will see the Bulldogs take on the Clemson Tigers on Aug. 31. The game is set for a noon ET start on ABC. The Bulldogs held their first scrimmage this past Saturday and will continue practicing in the grueling August heat ahead of the opener.

AP Poll Preseason Top 25 rankings