No. 5: Georgia Bulldogs

With all due respect to the recent Sports Illustrated ranking of all-time college football mascots: Um, no.

Placing Bevo at No. 4 behind the Oregon Duck (No. 2) and Ralphie at No. 6 behind the Stanford Tree is like ranking Laverne and\or Shirley ahead of Kate Upton in your swimsuit issue.

Thankfully, the kids at SI got No. 1 right: Uga.

The University of Georgia’s beloved bulldog mascot shines above all others as a personification and symbol of southern grace and style.

Bevo, the Texas Longhorn, would be No. 2 on my list followed by Colorado’s Ralphie.

Ok, but what about football?

In the 1950s, University of Oklahoma president George L. Cross once proclaimed “I want to build a university our football team can be proud of.”

Georgia football is trying to do the same for Uga.

Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs are getting close, real close, to joining Uga at No.1

Georgia had a shot to win it all two years ago, losing an overtime heartbreaker to Alabama, in Atlanta.

Last year, Georgia just missed the playoff by finishing No. 5 right behind Oklahoma.

Starting UGA in that spot this year is probably a little low but it’s only to keep the Bulldogs hungry and motivated as they keep chasing their first national title since Herschel Walker was the star tailback.

Herschel, for what it’s worth, is 53 now.

Georgia is primed for a breakthrough and much closer to solving Alabama than, say, LSU.

Smart is among the former Nick Saban assistants who are winless against him as head coaches.

“I’m well aware,” Smart said.

Georgia’s title hopes begin on offense with the return of quarterback Jake Fromm, a seemingly NFL-ready quarterback who maybe needs to be trusted a little more this season.

Georgia can win most games relying the ungodly talent surrounding Fromm at running back, the offensive line and wide receiver. But Fromm is more than a game-manager.

“Comforting to know you’ve got a guy that has that much experience and that’s a luxury because you don’t always get that in this league,” Smart said.

Maybe, though, Fromm needs to get out of the comfort zone.

The schedule is championship worthy, if not quirky, with Georgia opening the season with an SEC roadie at Vanderbilt.

That’s followed by home cupcakes against Murray State and Arkansas before Notre Dame comes to Athens on Sept. 21.

Georgia’s four true road games are all winnable--Vandy, Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia—with the annual cross-over schedule miss against Alabama.

Georgia’s main obstacle in the SEC East figures to be Florida, although last year’s cocktail party drink went down pretty easy (36-17).

It figures to come down to Alabama and Georgia for the SEC title, with the world (and Uga) watching.

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