Georgia Bulldogs Ranked Fifth in 2025 Preseason Composite Rankings, Fueled by Reloaded Roster and Championship Expectations Again

The Georgia Bulldogs find themselves in familiar territory — not at the very top, but close enough to smell blood. Coming off a 2024 season that ended just shy of their ultimate goal, the Bulldogs are ranked No. 5 in the 2025 preseason composite rankings, a position that reflects both the respect they command nationally and the slight uncertainty around a program that’s reloading once again for another championship push.

Being ranked fifth isn’t exactly foreign to Georgia. Under Kirby Smart, preseason expectations have become an annual ritual in Athens. What’s different this time, though, is the mixture of promise and skepticism that swirls around this squad. Some see a team poised to reclaim dominance; others view Georgia’s No. 5 slot as a signal of potential vulnerability among college football’s elite.

Georgia’s placement in the composite — which aggregates data from multiple respected outlets including ESPN, 247Sports, and The Athletic — is a testament to the program’s staying power. Even with roster turnover, NFL departures, and a brutally competitive SEC landscape, Georgia continues to be viewed as a perennial national title threat.

Last year, the Bulldogs’ campaign ended in heartbreak, falling short of a College Football Playoff appearance in what was arguably the most competitive season in the Smart era. But 2025 brings renewed hope and a wealth of returning talent that’s ready to make the climb back to the summit.

Quarterback Gunner Stockton enters the year as the likely starter, having spent the last season absorbing every nuance of Georgia’s offense and showing flashes of brilliance when called upon. Stockton is no longer a prospect — he’s the man expected to lead a program that doesn’t accept second place. With his arm strength, mobility, and poise, he represents the next evolution in Georgia’s offensive identity.

Surrounding Stockton is a skill group that may not be the most experienced, but certainly isn’t short on potential. Wide receivers like Dillon Bell and Dominic Lovett are set for breakout years, while tight end Oscar Delp inherits the spotlight from Brock Bowers. Delp, a highly rated recruit in his own right, has been waiting in the wings and now gets his shot to dominate in a system that has become synonymous with elite tight end play.

The backfield — always a staple in Athens — will rely on the explosive tandem of Branson Robinson and Roderick Robinson II. Both runners bring bruising power and underrated agility, giving Georgia a chance to control the tempo against any defense. Branson, now fully healthy after an injury-plagued season, has drawn comparisons to past Bulldog greats for a reason. His presence alone ensures that Georgia’s ground game remains a weaponized element of their attack.

But perhaps the biggest storyline heading into the 2025 season is Georgia’s defense — and the expectation that it returns to its suffocating, soul-stealing roots. Defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, still one of the brightest minds in the sport, returns to guide a unit teeming with talent, if not experience.

The defensive line features future NFL studs in Mykel Williams and Christen Miller, both of whom are expected to take massive leaps forward. Linebackers like Jalon Walker and Raylen Wilson bring rare sideline-to-sideline speed and tenacity that harkens back to Georgia’s 2021 national championship defense.

The secondary is perhaps the group with the most to prove. While talented, it’s largely untested. Daylen Everette and Julian Humphrey are projected to be the cornerstones at cornerback, while rising safety Joenel Aguero has scouts drooling with his size-speed combination and physical style of play. If this unit can gel early, Georgia will once again field one of the most complete defenses in the country.

Still, questions remain — and they’re the reason Georgia didn’t crack the top three of the composite rankings. The offensive line, usually the team’s anchor, lost multiple starters to the NFL and will need to coalesce quickly. The Bulldogs’ schedule also doesn’t do them any favors. An early-season trip to Austin to face Texas — now firmly entrenched in the SEC — looms large, while annual battles against Tennessee, Florida, and Alabama promise no breathing room.

Then there’s the mental side of it. Georgia isn’t the underdog anymore, but also isn’t entering 2025 as the reigning champ. They’re somewhere in between — respected but hunted, celebrated but questioned. That’s a different kind of pressure, one that will test the team’s leadership and resolve throughout the fall.

Kirby Smart, ever the architect, thrives on this type of challenge. He’s built a culture that doesn’t just demand excellence — it expects it. The fact that Georgia is still a top-five team despite losing a raft of talent to the NFL Draft is a reflection of that culture. It’s also a reflection of Smart’s ability to develop, reload, and motivate.

“We’ve got a group of guys that are hungry, focused, and not satisfied,” Smart said in a spring press conference. “This program is about competing every day — whether you’re the starter, the backup, or the scout team. If you’re not ready to grind, you won’t make it here.”

That mindset will be crucial in 2025. The playoff expands to 12 teams this season, which theoretically gives a team like Georgia a bit more margin for error. But that doesn’t mean the Bulldogs are thinking about sneaking in. They want to dominate, to return to Atlanta for the SEC title game, and to hoist the national championship trophy once more.

Being ranked fifth might serve as the perfect motivational fuel. It’s not low enough to feel disrespectful, but just low enough to feel overlooked. And for a program like Georgia — one that has feasted on chip-on-the-shoulder energy under Smart — that could be the difference between a solid season and a championship one.

The college football landscape in 2025 is as competitive as it’s ever been. Programs like Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, and Alabama sit alongside Georgia in the composite’s top five. Each of those teams has legitimate title aspirations, elite coaching, and deep rosters. But Georgia has something more: the scars of disappointment and the hunger to never feel that sting again.

With a top-five preseason ranking and a locker room full of players ready to prove their worth, the Bulldogs aren’t looking for sympathy or second chances. They’re hunting trophies — again.

If the new faces step up, if the defense returns to form, and if Stockton becomes the quarterback the program believes he can be, Georgia’s No. 5 ranking could look far too conservative by season’s end. As the Bulldogs prepare for another high-stakes journey through the SEC gauntlet, one thing is certain: they’re not content with fifth place. They never have been.