Here’s one that’s fresh in everyone’s minds. Though Mark Richt had several excellent teams during his 15-year run in Athens, the best season of the 21st century thus far belongs to Kirby Smart’s 2017 team. Georgia won the SEC for the first time since 2005, made it to the College Football Playoff in school history and almost came away with national title No. 3.
Georgia began the year with serious doubts about Smart. The Dawgs went 8-5 in his first year in Athens. However, Georgia had a loaded backfield with Nick Chubb and Sony Michel headlining it, as well as an All-American at linebacker in Roquan Smith. Along with players like true freshman quarterback Jake Fromm and sophomore kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia had finally arrived.
The Dawgs beat four ranked teams that year, including a nail-biter up in South Bend vs. No. 24 Notre Dame. Though the SEC slate was down, Georgia avenged its only conference loss by between cross-divisional rival Auburn in the SEC Championship game convincingly. They would face No. 2 Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff.
Catapulted by Blankenship’s kick of his life and Michel’s greatest run of his life, Georgia defeated Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield‘s Sooners in Pasadena. The Dawgs would face SEC nemesis Alabama in the national title in Atlanta. After beating Oklahoma in overtime a week earlier, Alabama bested Georgia on second-and-26 in overtime thanks to Tua Tagovailoa.