College football analyst David Pollack warns Georgia's grueling road schedule could derail SEC championship hopes

Georgia has once again been voted by the media to win the SEC championship in the upcoming 2024 college football season. The Bulldogs lost the conference title game to Alabama last season, thereby missing the chance for a three-peat in the College Football Playoff.

While they're seen as the favorites for the conference title in 2024, college football analyst David Pollack is wary of Georgia's chances. The former Bulldogs linebacker believes the team's tough schedule, which will see them play four top teams, could derail the team's title chances.

"It’s easy to look at Georgia and say they’re the best team in the country. But man, their best four opponents they play are away from home, and that’s four top 15 teams," Pollack said on ‘Outkick Hot Mic.’ “You’ve got to go to Texas, you’ve got to go to Alabama, you’ve got to go to Ole Miss, you’ve got to play Clemson at a neutral site."

David Pollack believes at least two of the four tough opponents the Bulldogs are playing next season will make the playoffs. This goes to show the challenge ahead of the team. It’s worth noting that the College Football Playoff will be expanded to 12 teams in the upcoming season.

"Georgia could be the best team… I don’t know how the format is going to work... But to me, there are four teams, and at least two of them are getting in. I would argue maybe a third could get in," Pollack said.

"I think Georgia’s schedule is going to be so hard for them to maybe get to the SEC championship game. But do they sit at home and watch the SEC championship game and then go to the playoffs? I think that could really happen this year for them."

Making use of last year’s CFP ranking, the trio of Texas, Alabama and Ole Miss makes the new 12-team playoffs. Only Clemson, which surprisingly had a bad season in 2023, misses out. There’s a good chance all four programs will make the playoffs next season.

Kirby Smart excited about Georgia’s schedule

The Bulldogs head coach, Kirby Smart, embraces the team's schedule for the 2024 season despite the difficulty that comes with it. He made it known during the SEC Media Days in Dallas that the team was ready to take on the challenge.

“Initially, I was wondering how I got that draw, but we’re not one to complain,” Smart said during the SEC Media Days. “We’re one to be excited. I think when you step into the shoes of a University of Georgia football player, you accept that the challenge is going to be there.”

It is to be seen how the team fares in their schedule next season. With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams, the Bulldogs are expected to secure a spot in the worst-case scenario even if they fail to make the SEC championship game.