For the last three seasons, Georgia felt like the invincible force cruising through the SEC. But now, folks are getting wary. It’s almost June, which means we’re within shouting distance of another college football season. Down in Athens, the usual summer confidence is starting to feel a lot more like cautious optimism. Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs aren’t exactly getting the benefit of the doubt this offseason. And now, one major championship factor has insiders asking a blunt question—Can Smart win it all without fielding the best team?
It’s a fair ask. Dean Legge didn’t mince words on the May 24th episode of UGA Football on Dawg Post. “What I wonder is, can Kirby win the national championship without the best team because he’s proven he can win the national championship with the best team?” he asked. And that’s a million-dollar question heading into the 2025 season because this time, Georgia might not be that team.
Because, as Legge sees it, the two teams that are betting favorites in front of Georgia are Texas and Ohio State. Well, all three teams share a common QB dilemma, but they specifically “have recruited better than anybody else.” But for Kirby Smart and co., it’s nervous energy.
Georgia has dominated the sport for the better part of three years. Back-to-back National title in 2021 and 2022, a one-score loss to Alabama in the SEC title game in 2023, and an SEC crown again in 2024. That’s a blue-blood resume. But with 36 players gone to the portal or the NFL, even ESPN and Saturday Blitz are out there predicting Kirby Smart and the Dawgs won’t be dominant this year.
Saturday Blitz’s Andrew Boardwine said, “Georgia feels like a team that still will have a great year but may not be able to match up when they get to the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff.” The 2025 schedule doesn’t do them much favor either.
They have more big games at home, but they’re set to face multiple projected top 25 teams, including Texas, Alabama, Florida, Ole Miss, and Auburn. Not a cakewalk. Besides, with Carson Beck‘s departure, Gunner Stockton enters with an air that screams skepticism for fans. And their 2025 spring game only added more discomfort among spectators.
G-Day sends a subtle warning to Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs
This year’s spring game in Georgia was a relatively quiet one with no national TV and no buzz. Those who were paying attention left with one big takeaway—the Bulldogs might be in trouble up front.
Dean Legge and Ryan Kerley broke it down after G-Day, and it was blunt honesty. “Something I didn’t think I saw a lot of today and was maybe lacking more than anything was pass rush,” Kerley said. And that’s a major red flag given the no-show of edge pressure.
Gunner Stockton and Ryan Puglisi had clean pockets during the game. The QB1 flashed with 309 yards and two TDs, while Puglisi put up solid numbers too. But neither had defenders breathing down their necks. Why?
Because potential EDGE starter Gabe Harris didn’t suit up. And behind him, that room looks thin without Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams. And as Kerley pointed out, “You gotta have that. And those teams winning national championships and those competing for the last few years had really good pass rushers… I don’t know if they have that. And that would be my biggest concern.” And now, even coaches are leaving!
Kirby Smart’s been the gold standard in program-building. No one’s doubting his long-term vision. But if Georgia wants a shot at the natty this year, they need to find answers fast.
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