Georgia football is home to LBU, taking it away from Penn State football.
Georgia football can claim LBU for now, while Penn State football has lost its former title.
In ESPN’s Position U 2.0, the Georgia Bulldogs claim the top spot in 2020’s installment of LBU. The Dawgs beat out the Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 2), the Ohio State Buckeyes (No. 3), the USC Trojans (No. 4) and the Penn State Nittany Lions in the top five. Oklahoma, Michigan, Miami, Clemson and Florida rounded out the top 10. Did ESPN get it right? Is Penn State furious now?
Georgia football’s recent track record has them claiming LBU in 2020.
What gives Georgia the edge in this year’s rankings is the amount of NFL talent the Dawgs have produced at the linebacker position since 1998. They’ve had six All-American nods over that span. Some of the most notable Dawg linebackers to star Between the Hedges include Boss Bailey, Lorenzo Carter, Rennie Curran, Leonard Floyd, Jarvis Jones, Alec Ogletree and Roquan Smith.
Smith famously took back to Athens the Dick Butkus Award in his incredible 2017 junior season. Jones was a two-time All-American with the Dawgs after transferring from the USC Trojans in 2011 and 2012. Bailey, Curran and Justin Houston were All-Americans as well. Floyd, Jones, Ogletree and Smith were all first-round selections in their respective NFL Drafts.
As for if Penn State should be mad about dropping all the way down to No. 5, it’s hard to argue against the Dawgs being on top at this time. Historically, Penn State is absolutely LBU, but not as triumphantly in modern times. The shame in it all is Micah Parsons was a lock to take home the Butkus this year, but he opted to forego his junior season and enter the 2021 NFL Draft.
Georgia will have an opportunity to potentially extend its lead over the likes of USC, Penn State and Michigan since those three traditional powers aren’t playing ball this year. Alabama has a shot at usurping the Dawgs at some point, as does Clemson if the Tigers continue to recruit and win as effortlessly as they have done under head coach Dabo Swinney. For now, the Dawgs are on top.
LBU goes to Georgia football this year and we should be all that surprised about it at this time.
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