10 major storylines for the 2023 college football season
![Georgia coach Kirby Smart celebrates with fans after the NCAA College Football National Championship game between TCU and Georgia on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. Georgia won 65-7. Georgia coach Kirby Smart celebrates with fans after the NCAA College Football National Championship game between TCU and Georgia on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. Georgia won 65-7.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/38882e4da7272debbb569bf8b26b7b53aa0ce3330a5ea7910227ba2fc88fa4e3.jpg)
Can Georgia do what hasn’t happened since 1936?
For the last two years, it’s been Dawgs on top. Kirby Smart took everything he learned from Nick Saban at Alabama and has applied it at his alma mater. After winning the last two national championships, Georgia has taken Alabama’s place as the premiere program in the sport, at least for now.
But can UGA stay on top for a third-straight season? History is not on their side.
The last program to win three-straight national championships was Minnesota all the way back in 1936. It hasn’t mattered how dominant and unbeatable a team appears to be. 3-peats just don’t happen.
And yet as we go into the 2023 season, Georgia clearly seems like the best bet to win the national title once again. The roster is still absolutely loaded with major contributors from last season.
A dominant defense brings back seven starters, led by DE Mykel Williams and LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson. Their offensive line and skill-talent are amongst the nation’s best. And though QB Stetson Bennett deserves credit for leading this team the past two seasons, new starter Carson Beck may provide the Dawgs with a higher ceiling on offense.
The path to 3-peat is there, too. To call UGA’s schedule weak would be an understatement. They should absolutely roll through their regular season slate. And even if they were to then lose in the SEC Championship Game, they could easily still earn a playoff bid.
History says to expect someone else to emerge, but it’s hard to predict who’s ready to take down the Dawgs.