ESPN Ranks Georgia Bulldogs as No.1 Defense Ahead of 2023 Season

Despite losing a handful of starters and key contributors, ESPN predicts Georgia's defense to be dominant as usual in 2023

When Kirby Smart took over as the head coach for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2016, many predicted that the Bulldogs' defense would greatly improve. Fast forward to the present day and the Bulldogs are coming off two straight national titles, which have been each spearheaded by a suffocating defense full of monstrous talent.

But not only has the Bulldogs' defense neutralized some of the most high-powered offenses in the nation over the past few seasons. The unit has also seemingly succeeded regardless of who takes the field. Despite a mass exodus via the NFL draft ahead of the 2022 season. Georgia still maintained a top-10 defense which led the SEC in yards-per-play allowed. 

During the 2022 season, the Bulldogs' defense allowed just 14.27 points per game

The team's sustained long-term success on defense has led ESPN to rank the unit as the nation's best heading into the 2023 season. The Bulldogs received 10 out of 10 first-place votes from analysts. In the article by ESPN, Harry Lyles Jr. cites the team's elite returning talent and fantastic recruiting as the reason for the team's ranking. 

"In total, you've got a defense that once again is expected to compete to be the best in the country, and we didn't even get to the Bulldogs' highly-rated recruits coming in this season. Given how Georgia has been recruiting, it's hard not to see it this way not only this year but for the foreseeable future."

-Harry Lyles Jr. (Analyst for ESPN)

Elite defensive play has been a calling card for teams under Kirby Smart dating back all the way to his days with Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide. As the team's defensive coordinator from 2008-15, Smart helped kickstart the Tide's dynasty by helping the team to four national titles, which included back-to-back victories in 2011 and 2012. 

Smart and the Bulldogs will likely continue to rely on the elite play of their defense to play what he calls "complementary football" during the 2023 football season. Where Georgia will be chasing history in hopes to become the first team of the modern college football era to win three straight national championships.

Other Georgia News:

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• Kirby Smart, NIL and Transfer Portal Make it "Excruciating" on Coaches

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