Fresh off a National Championship appearance and armed with the best 2018 recruiting class, spirits are high in Athens. Head coach Kirby Smart, a branch off the Nick Saban coaching tree, has continued to build the Georgia program in recent years, and is primed to knock Alabama from both the SEC and national stage.

Prestige Rankings (If NCAA Football 19 existed): 6*

Georgia made the national title game last season, and has continued to improve both on the field and in the recruiting cycle under Kirby Smart. There seems to be no downswing in sight.

Previous Record: 13-2 (7-1 SEC), SEC Champions, National Runner-up

Projected Returning Starters:

Offense: 8

G Kendall Baker, G Ben Cleveland, C Lamont Gaillard, T Andrew Thomas, WR Terry Godwin, WR Riley Ridley, TE Isaac Nauta, QB Jake Fromm

Fromm returns after accumulating 2,615 yards and 24 touchdowns a season ago, and should have no trouble staying upright, as four of his five offensive lineman return to start. Fromm also rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns, proving he has decent mobility. Godwin, Ridley and Nauta are returning weapons for Fromm; the three combined for 971 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2017. Georgia’s bread and butter is the ground game, and an experienced offensive line should alleviate the losses of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel.

Defense: 4

DL Tyler Clark, DL Jonathan Ledbetter, CB Deandre Baker, CB J.R. Reed

The Bulldogs’s defense was ravished by graduation and the NFL Draft, but they manage to return two key playmakers in the secondary and two experienced members of a strong defensive line. Other than these four, the Bulldogs must replace players at seven positions, including three of the top five tacklers from a season ago. As a unit, the team will need to force more turnovers after forcing just 20 in 2017.

Special Teams: 1

PK Rodrigo Blankenship

Blankenship is the lone returner from the special teams unit and will play a key part for the Bulldogs. The junior connected on 20 of his 23 field goal attempts and registered a touchback on 71.3% of his kickoffs in 2017.

Key Losses: RB Nick Chubb, RB Sony Michel

The two-headed monster that ignited a national title run has since moved on to the NFL, leaving behind over 2,600 yards of rushing from 2017. Both D’Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield saw carries last year, and the four returning starters along the line should allow the pair to enjoy a successful season.

Tyroil Smoochie-Wallace All Name Team Member: Mecole Hardman, Junior WR

Five-Year Recruiting Rank (SB Nation’s Bill Connelly): 3

Alcohol Prediction for Fans by Season’s End: Champagne 

Pop the champagne, Georgia fans, 2018 is the year that your ‘Dawgs knock the Alabama Crimson Tide from their high horse. Get the champagne ready, because when all is said and done, the Georgia Bulldogs will be your 2018 National Champions.