teams in recent history—a squad so loaded with talent, so impeccably coached, and so ruthlessly efficient that their absence from the College Football Playoff (CFP) remains one of the sport’s greatest injustices. Despite finishing the season with a perfect 12-0 record, a No. 1 ranking in multiple advanced metrics, and a roster brimming with future NFL stars, Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs were controversially left out of the four-team playoff. As a result, the 2023 Georgia Bulldogs now hold the dubious distinction of being the best team to never reach the College Football Playoff—a title that sparks debate, frustration, and admiration all at once.
From the outset, the Bulldogs were a juggernaut. Coming off back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022, Georgia entered the 2023 season with sky-high expectations. Though they lost key players like Stetson Bennett, Jalen Carter, and Kelee Ringo to the NFL, the program’s relentless recruiting under Smart ensured that the next wave of stars was ready to step up. Quarterback Carson Beck, a former four-star recruit, seamlessly took over the offense, displaying poise, accuracy, and command of the system. The defense, despite losing generational talent, remained suffocating, thanks to standouts like Malaki Starks, Mykel Williams, and Smael Mondon Jr.
Week after week, the Bulldogs dismantled opponents with a blend of physicality and precision. They opened the season with a statement win over UT Martin, but their first true test came in Week 3 against South Carolina. The Gamecocks, led by Spencer Rattler, pushed Georgia early, but the Bulldogs’ depth and defensive adjustments proved too much in a 24-14 victory. From there, Georgia rolled through its SEC schedule, dispatching Auburn, Kentucky, and Florida with relative ease. The Bulldogs’ most impressive performance came in a 27-20 win over Ole Miss, a game that showcased their ability to win in different ways—whether through explosive plays or grinding clock control.
Yet, despite their dominance, Georgia’s playoff fate was never entirely in their own hands. The 2023 season was one of the most chaotic in recent memory, with multiple undefeated teams emerging from power conferences. Michigan, Washington, Florida State, and Texas all finished the regular season without a loss, creating an unprecedented logjam at the top of the rankings. The Bulldogs, despite their No. 1 ranking in advanced metrics like ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), found themselves on the outside looking in when the final CFP selections were announced.
The committee’s decision to exclude Georgia was met with immediate backlash. Critics pointed to the Bulldogs’ strength of schedule, which included wins over four ranked opponents, as evidence that they belonged in the playoff. Others argued that Georgia’s sheer dominance—their average margin of victory was over 20 points per game—made them a more complete team than Florida State, whose resume was built on close wins and a weaker ACC slate. But the Seminoles’ undefeated record, combined with the Bulldogs’ lack of a conference championship (due to a heartbreaking loss to Alabama in the SEC title game), ultimately sealed Georgia’s fate.
What makes the exclusion even more painful is that the 2023 Bulldogs were arguably better than the 2021 and 2022 teams that won it all. Offensively, they were more balanced, with Beck distributing the ball to a deep receiving corps featuring Brock Bowers, Ladd McConkey, and emerging star Dominic Lovett. The running game, led by Daijun Edwards and Kendall Milton, was punishing. Defensively, while not as flashy as the 2021 unit, they were just as effective, ranking in the top five nationally in scoring defense and yards allowed per play. Advanced stats painted them as the most complete team in the country—yet they never got the chance to prove it on the biggest stage.
The fallout from the snub was immediate. Georgia demolished Florida State 63-3 in the Orange Bowl, a game that felt more like a coronation than a consolation. The Bulldogs’ performance only reinforced the belief that they were the best team in the country, further fueling the argument that the four-team playoff model was flawed. Had the 12-team playoff been in place a year earlier, Georgia would have been a lock—and likely the favorite to three-peat. Instead, they were left to wonder what could have been.
In hindsight, the 2023 Georgia Bulldogs represent both the pinnacle of college football excellence and the shortcomings of the sport’s postseason structure. They were a team built to win championships, with elite talent at every position, a coaching staff that maximized their potential, and a culture of relentless preparation. Yet, due to circumstances beyond their control—a perfect storm of unbeaten teams and a rigid selection process—they were denied the opportunity to compete for a title.
As the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams in 2024, the 2023 Bulldogs will serve as a cautionary tale—a reminder that even the best teams can fall victim to an imperfect system. But for those who watched them play, there’s no doubt: the 2023 Georgia Bulldogs were the best team to never reach the playoff, and their legacy will endure as one of the greatest “what ifs” in college football history.
