Happy Hump Day to all!

In chatting with Brandon Adams of “DawgNation Daily” on Tuesday, we discussed how it has become trendy to say that Georgia is the better pick to win the league but Texas is the SEC’s best chance of winning a national championship.

I believe a lot of this boils down to the fact that talking heads, myself included, want to come up with smart-sounding talking points. This would fall into that category.

It also shows the lack of belief in Texas in the event it has to play Georgia. The Bulldogs have owned Texas over the previous two seasons, winning in three different venues.

Georgia had an 88-57 edge in first-place votes for the SEC’s predicted order of finish.

So despite the Longhorns seeming like the belle of the ball, they’ve got to prove they can beat Georgia to fully establish themselves.

The earliest these two teams could meet in 2026 would be in the SEC championship game. The possibility of a College Football Playoff matchup also looms, as both schools are trendy preseason selections.

The three ‘ifs’ Georgia needs to answer

Due in part to the smallest transfer class in the SEC and retaining both coordinators, the Bulldogs haven’t been as buzzy as the likes of Texas, LSU and Ohio State.

But the back-to-back SEC championship winners are still as dangerous as ever to be the last team standing. According to DraftKings, Georgia enters the 2026 season with the sixth-highest title odds at +850.

That sits only behind Ohio State (+600); Notre Dame (+650); Texas (+750); Indiana (+800); and Oregon (+800).

Georgia coach Kirby Smart is well aware that only winning an SEC championship isn’t good enough, as the fan base — and national media — want to see if the Bulldogs can win in a 12-team format. Georgia has lost in the quarterfinals in each of the previous two seasons, losing to Notre Dame in 2024 and Ole Miss this past season.

“I mean, you look at those two games, I don’t look at them as, ‘Oh God, there’s something wrong,’” Smart said at SEC media days. “I look at it more of how do we keep the continuity of going with what we do.”

Entering the 2026 season, Georgia is as capable as any team out there, and ESPN’s Bill Connelly broke down the three “ifs” that will make or break the Bulldogs’ title hopes this season.

Read the full story to learn more.

Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter (left) pursues Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud during the first half of the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker celebrates after sacking Missouri quarterback Tyler Macon at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in Athens. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Georgia defensive lineman Jordan Davis checks out his reflection in the trophy after the Bulldogs 33-18 win against the Alabama Crimson Tide during their 2022 College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (Curtis Compton/AJC)

Georgia defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt (center) works to reach Alabama quarterback Bryce Young during their 2021 College Football Playoff championship game on Monday, Jan. 10, 2022, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (Perry McIntyre/UGA Sports Communications)

ESPN analyst a big believer in Georgia’s OL

The running game shouldn’t be overlooked for Georgia, as the Bulldogs return their top four rushers from last season.

“You have a quarterback that gives you a run threat and a physical run threat at times,” ESPN’s Cole Cubelic told “DawgNation” at SEC media days. “I know you don’t want to live on that, but you have an offensive line that can be dominant. I think it’s the best offensive line in the SEC going into the season.”

Georgia brings back Drew Bobo at center and Earnest Greene at left tackle. Both players were voted First Team All-SEC at last week’s SEC media days.

Offensive guard Dontrell Glover made it as a second-team selection. It would not be a surprise to see Juan Gaston end the season on an All-SEC team.

The fifth offensive line spot is up for grabs, though keep an eye on freshman Zykie Helton. He’s generated major buzz behind the scenes at Georgia. So much so that even national media types are aware of what he brings to the table.

Cubelic additionally thinks the Bulldogs have the best tight end room in the country, which should help offset some concerns about the wide receiver room.

“I also don’t think they need to be wide receiver dependent this year, which a lot of offenses in today’s college football, pro football are wide receiver dependent,” Cubelic said.

For more on what the national media thinks of the Georgia offense, check out the full story.

Trivia time

Who was Kirby Smart’s first first-round draft pick that he signed as a recruit?

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How Georgia beat LSU for top offensive tackle

Kirby Smart and Lane Kiffin have gone head-to-head on the field in each of the previous three seasons.

With Kiffin now at LSU, they’ll continue to battle on the recruiting trail for top prospects.

Georgia scored a major victory over Kiffin when it landed 4-star offensive tackle Miller Westerfield. He is from Roswell and plays for Roswell High School.

DawgNation’s Jeff Sentell caught up with Westerfield, who explained why Georgia ultimately won out.

“LSU was my second choice,” Westerfield said. “It was one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make. They did so much for me and my family. It is such a hard conversation to have. There wasn’t like a complete deciding factor. I was like, ‘Well, it is going to be Georgia because that’s what it has always been,’ but it was such a tricky thing. It weighed on me so heavily. I guess I’m just glad it’s over.”

LSU offered more money than Georgia did, but you can’t put a price tag on playing for the Bulldogs when you’re from Roswell.

For more on Sentell’s conversation with Westerfield, read the full story here.

Tray Scott will make you rich

Jalen Carter was a legendary defender for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Now, he’s a historically rich man.

Carter signed a contract extension with the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday that will pay him $106 million guaranteed. He could possibly earn up to $160 million over the course of the deal, which runs through 2031.

With the signing, Carter becomes the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history.

Carter is not the only former Georgia Bulldog to sign a massive deal this offseason.

Travon Walker, Jordan Davis and Devonte Wyatt all signed contracts this offseason that gave them more than $20 million guaranteed. The trio were all selected in the 2022 NFL draft. Carter was the No. 9 pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

In total, the four defensive linemen have earned $268 million in guaranteed money this offseason via new contracts.

That is a wonderful recruiting pitch for Georgia defensive line coach Tray Scott, who recruited and developed all four of those during their time in Athens.

Scott has continued to churn out great defensive line prospects, with Christen Miller going in the second round of the most recent NFL draft.

Then-Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin (left) and Georgia head coach Kirby Smart meet at midfield after their game on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Athens. (Colin Hubbard/AP)

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart (left) introduces his sons to then-Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin before their game at Vaught Hemingway Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in Oxford, Ms. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart (right) speaks with then-Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin before their game at Sanford Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, in Athens. (Jason Getz/AJC)

LSU head coach Lane Kiffin (top) and Georgia head coach Kirby Smart spent two years together on the Alabama staff under Nick Saban. (AP File)

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Trivia answer

Andrew Thomas. He was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft after an All-American career at Georgia.