Georgia climbed to No. 2 in the AP Top 25 following a dominant 63-3 victory over Tennessee State.
The Bulldogs wasted no time reminding college football that Athens remains firmly in the national championship conversation.
ATHENS, Ga. — One game. Sixty-three points. And already, the Georgia Bulldogs are moving up.
Georgia climbed from No. 3 to No. 2 in the latest Associated Press Top 25, released Tuesday, September 8, after Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs dismantled Tennessee State 63-3 in their 2026 season opener at Sanford Stadium.
The move puts Georgia directly behind No. 1 Ohio State and ahead of Notre Dame, Texas and defending national champion Indiana.
And while beating Tennessee State was expected, the way Georgia did it provided an early reminder of just how much talent Smart has assembled in Athens.
Georgia Made a Statement in Week 1
Georgia essentially ended Saturday’s game before everyone had settled into their seats.
The Bulldogs scored touchdowns on their first five possessions and jumped ahead 28-0 in the opening quarter despite a brutal 101-degree temperature at kickoff.
Quarterback Gunner Stockton was exceptionally efficient, completing 15 of 16 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Nate Frazier needed only four carries to rush for 72 yards and three touchdowns.
The final numbers were just as lopsided.
Georgia accumulated 660 total yards, including 272 rushing and 388 passing, while Tennessee State managed only 109 yards. The Bulldogs finished with 31 first downs compared with 10 for the Tigers.
That’s domination regardless of the opponent.
Oregon’s Struggle Opened the Door
Georgia’s jump wasn’t solely about what happened in Athens.
Oregon entered the weekend ranked No. 2 but struggled to put away Boise State, eventually escaping with a 34-27 victory after entering the game as a heavy favorite. AP voters responded by dropping Oregon all the way to No. 6.
That opened the door for Georgia.
The Bulldogs, Notre Dame, Texas and Indiana each moved up one position, while Ohio State remained comfortably atop the rankings.
Ohio State received 46 of 69 first-place votes, while the remaining 23 first-place votes were spread among six other programs — an early indication that voters aren’t necessarily convinced there is one overwhelming championship favorite.
For Georgia, being No. 2 after Week 1 puts the Bulldogs exactly where this program has become accustomed to living: near the very top.
The New AP Top Five
The latest AP Top 25 begins:
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Texas
- Indiana
Oregon’s fall to sixth represents one of the biggest early movements near the top of the poll, while LSU surged into the top 10 following a 51-10 demolition of Clemson. Michigan, meanwhile, fell completely out of the Top 25 after barely surviving Western Michigan on a controversial second-chance Hail Mary.
College football chaos apparently didn’t need long to arrive.
Georgia’s Depth May Be the Bigger Story
The ranking will grab the headlines, but Georgia fans may have another reason to be excited.
Depth.
Saturday wasn’t simply Stockton and Frazier beating up on an overmatched opponent. Georgia was able to rotate players throughout the afternoon and get significant contributions from younger members of the roster.
Freshmen Kaiden Prothro, Jae Lamar and Jeremy Bell each scored their first collegiate touchdowns. Backup quarterbacks Ryan Puglisi and Ryan Montgomery also received opportunities once the outcome was safely decided.
That’s the kind of opening game coaches love.
Win comfortably. Get the starters meaningful work. Develop the younger players. Walk away healthy.
Then move on.
The Bulldogs Still Have Things to Clean Up
It wasn’t completely flawless.
Georgia committed eight penalties for 85 yards, an unusually messy number for a Kirby Smart team. There was also a botched field-goal sequence resulting from a substitution issue.
Against Tennessee State, those mistakes barely mattered.
Against the teams Georgia will eventually encounter in SEC play — and potentially in the College Football Playoff — they could.
That’s probably the encouraging part for Smart.
Georgia won by 60 points, climbed to No. 2 in America and still has plenty of film for its coaching staff to use.
Next Up: Western Kentucky
Georgia remains home this weekend, hosting Western Kentucky on Saturday, September 12 at Sanford Stadium.
It represents another opportunity for the Bulldogs to sharpen things before the schedule becomes more demanding.
The expectations in Athens haven’t changed.
SEC championships.
College Football Playoff appearances.
National championships.
That’s the standard Smart has created.
And after one week of the 2026 season, the voters clearly believe Georgia belongs among the teams most capable of reaching those goals.
The Bulldogs entered the season at No. 3.
They’re already No. 2.
Now the question becomes whether there is another move coming — and whether Georgia can eventually reclaim the one ranking that matters most.
No. 1.
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