When the latest top 100 players in college football list was released, many fans, analysts, and experts were quick to comb through the rankings to see which players had earned the prestigious nod. As usual, the list sparked debates about who deserved to be higher, who was ranked too low, and which players had been left off altogether. But perhaps the most surprising omission on this year’s list wasn’t a lack of a few star athletes from smaller programs—it was the absence of players from the Georgia Bulldogs, the reigning national champions.
Coming off one of the most dominant seasons in college football history, Georgia’s exclusion from the list has left many scratching their heads. After all, the Bulldogs not only claimed the national title in 2022, but they did so with an impressive and highly skilled roster that boasted multiple standout players on both offense and defense. Yet, despite their national championship pedigree and undeniable talent, the Bulldogs failed to make a significant impact in the rankings of the nation’s top players.
This snub raises an important question: How could such a talented roster, one that was key to Georgia’s dominance on the national stage, be so disregarded in a list that is meant to recognize the best players in the country? To answer this, we need to take a closer look at the players who missed the cut, the overall structure of the list, and what this exclusion says about the state of college football rankings in general.
First, it’s important to understand just how deep Georgia’s roster was during their championship run. The Bulldogs boasted a defense that was widely regarded as one of the most elite in recent memory, with players like Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, and Keele Ringo anchoring one of the most suffocating units in the nation. In addition to their stout defense, Georgia also had a potent offense led by Stetson Bennett, the quarterback who navigated his way to two consecutive national titles, and a strong group of skill position players, including Brock Bowers, one of the top tight ends in college football.
In fact, many would argue that Georgia’s success over the past two seasons was not the result of a few individual stars but rather the collective strength of a well-rounded team. Still, it seems curious that, despite having so many players who could have made a case for inclusion in the top 100, no Georgia players cracked the list. This has led to speculation about why the Bulldogs were left off the rankings.
One possible explanation could be the emphasis placed on individual statistics. The top 100 players list often highlights players who stand out through high-profile individual performances—quarterbacks who throw for incredible yardage, running backs who rack up impressive touchdown totals, and wide receivers who create highlight-reel catches. In contrast, Georgia’s success was built on a well-balanced and disciplined team approach, where every player had a specific role and contributed to the overall success of the unit.
Quarterback Stetson Bennett, for example, was pivotal in Georgia’s back-to-back championships, but his individual statistics weren’t as gaudy as those of some other quarterbacks across the country. While Bennett was incredibly effective and clutch in key moments, his play wasn’t as flashy as some of the other signal-callers who earned a spot on the top 100 list. Similarly, Georgia’s running backs, such as Kenny McIntosh and Daijun Edwards, had solid seasons, but they didn’t produce the jaw-dropping numbers that often garner national attention.
Another factor to consider is the growing trend of positional preferences in college football rankings. In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift toward favoring skill positions like quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs when determining the best players in the game. Players at these positions often have the ability to rack up gaudy statistics and make spectacular plays that grab the attention of fans and media alike. On the other hand, players in less glamorous positions, like offensive linemen or defensive tackles, often get overlooked despite their critical importance to a team’s success.
This bias toward skill players could explain why Georgia’s star defensive players, like Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith, didn’t earn a spot on the top 100 list. While both Carter and Smith were incredibly dominant in their own right, their positions may not have been as high-profile or flashy as those of the quarterbacks or wide receivers that dominated the rankings. Defensive linemen and linebackers, even those who are elite talents, can sometimes be undervalued in rankings that prioritize players with the most attention-grabbing stats.
It’s also worth noting that Georgia’s roster was full of players who were part of an elite, collective unit. When a team plays as well as the Bulldogs did, with so many players contributing to their success, it’s sometimes harder for individual players to stand out in a rankings context. In other words, Georgia’s dominance was the result of excellent team play, rather than the dominance of a few individual players. As such, it’s possible that many voters for the top 100 list felt that no single Georgia player rose far enough above the rest to deserve inclusion among the nation’s very best.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that Georgia’s players were lacking in talent or ability. On the contrary, the Bulldogs’ roster was packed with elite players who could excel at any program in the country. The fact that Georgia’s defense was able to shut down top-tier offenses like Michigan and Alabama during the playoff run speaks to the quality of players they had, even if those players didn’t garner the same individual accolades as some of their counterparts in other programs.
There’s also the issue of the perception of Georgia’s program. While Georgia has long been considered one of the top football programs in the country, their recent success under head coach Kirby Smart has truly solidified them as a powerhouse in college football. However, even with their national championship titles and consistently dominant play, the Bulldogs have often been overshadowed by other programs, particularly Alabama and Ohio State, when it comes to individual accolades.
Perhaps part of the reason why Georgia’s players were overlooked in this particular top 100 ranking is the ongoing dominance of programs like Alabama, which consistently produces high-profile players who end up being top picks in the NFL draft. Even in seasons when other programs like Georgia are more successful on the field, Alabama’s star players often command more attention in the rankings due to their pedigree and the NFL-caliber talent they consistently produce.
However, the exclusion of Georgia’s players from the list may also be an indication of a flaw in the way college football rankings are constructed. The fact that a team as successful as Georgia could be so thoroughly overlooked in a list of the top 100 players is a testament to the challenges of evaluating and ranking talent in a sport where team success and individual performance are often intertwined. Rankings like these are inherently subjective and can sometimes fail to account for the nuances of a team-oriented sport like football.
It’s also worth acknowledging that while the absence of Georgia players from this list is certainly disappointing, it doesn’t diminish the success of the program or the incredible talent on their roster. The Bulldogs proved themselves to be the best team in college football over the past two seasons, and that legacy will continue to resonate, even if individual players didn’t get the recognition they may have deserved.
In the end, the Georgia Bulldogs’ omission from the top 100 players list is more of a commentary on the nature of college football rankings than it is a slight against the players themselves. It underscores the fact that, while rankings may be a fun way to evaluate players and generate discussion, they don’t always tell the full story of what makes a team great. The Bulldogs’ national championships, strong team play, and contributions from a variety of talented players speak volumes about their excellence, regardless of whether or not they received individual recognition on a list.
As Georgia continues to build on their success under Kirby Smart, it’s likely that the program will continue to produce elite talent that can break through the noise of rankings and recognition. In the meantime, Bulldog fans can take comfort in the fact that their team’s dominance in recent years has proven that, sometimes, being a part of a great team is just as valuable as individual accolades.
