Dawgs (nearly) on top in AP poll

Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald
·2 min read
Dec 31, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; The Georgia Bulldogs fans cheer as the Bulldogs enter the field before the College Football Playoff semifinal game against the Michigan Wolverines at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; The Georgia Bulldogs fans cheer as the Bulldogs enter the field before the College Football Playoff semifinal game against the Michigan Wolverines at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports
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College football polls lost a bit of their luster with the College Football Playoff selection committee putting out its own rankings that determine the four teams going to the postseason.

It’s still fodder for arguments and hot takes about who is rated too high and who should be ranked higher.

I’ve been an Associated Press poll voter for several years now. When I’m done writing on Georgia football on game days—sometimes into early Sunday—I finish up my weekly top 25.

I’ll keep track of the games across the country during the day so I’m not doing the new poll all at once. There’s a Sunday morning deadline for the poll that comes out in the afternoon.

For the preseason poll released Monday, we were asked to submit votes by Aug. 1, but then given a chance to adjust after news that Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman is out indefinitely for a non-football-related medical condition.

I dropped Wake Forest down a few spots to No. 21. They are No. 22 in the poll.

Georgia got 3 of the 63 first-place votes. I wasn’t one of them, but I did put the Bulldogs second behind Alabama and ahead of Ohio State.

Given the consistent level Kirby Smart has shown with this program, I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt even with all that NFL talent walking out the door. Georgia looks to be a playoff contender year after year for now, even before the bracket expands.

So where did Georgia’s three first place votes come from? Damien Sordelett of the News & Advance in Lynchburg, Va.. David Thompson of the Fayetteville Observer and Steve Virgen of the Albuquerque Journal.

Jonas Pope of the Raleigh News & Observe had UGA lowest at No. 5.

There are six SEC teams in the AP top 25. Georgia plays only one of them—No. 20 Kentucky.

Tennessee is just outside the top 25 in first in others receiving votes. I put the Vols No. 23 on my ballot.

If you want to check out my complete ballot, you can find it here.

Follow me on Twitter @marcweiszer and email me at mweiszer@onlineathens.com

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Dawgs (nearly) on top in AP poll