Top 25 Preview: What If Georgia Was Non-BCS?

If Georgia was non-BCS, its preview would read something like this:

I know what you skeptics are thinking, but hold on right there—Georgia may be the best team you've never seen play. Though the Bulldogs didn't exactly light the world on fire last season (they didn't win their division, let alone their conference), they did manage to quietly win 11 games, including their bowl against a WAC opponent.

In its two losses, Georgia's offense struggled mightily, scoring 12 and 14 points against teams with a combined 10 losses. They managed to squeak out wins in two other games by just three points each (with the offense managing to score 20 and 26 points in those contests against teams with a combined 13 losses).

Scoring an average of 30 points per game against their I-A opponents in the regular season last year, statistics suggest that the 'Dogs will have to improve that mark by almost 10 points per game if they want to become the next Boise State, the last little guy to not only make it to a BCS Bowl game but win it, as well.

Quarterback Matt Stafford especially needs to improve, after completing only 56 percent of his passes last season for 2,523 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. The strength of the offense will once again be running back Knowshon Moreno, who ran for 1,334 yards last season. If he can lead his team to an undefeated season and a top 12 finish, he might become a dark-horse candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

The two teams that finished above them in conference last season are expected to take a step back this year, which should open the door for the 'Dogs to finally have their day. One potential road block is an early date at Arizona State; Georgia hasn't played a regular-season game west of the Mississippi since 1980! Lose that one and Georgia could find itself out of BCS Bowl contention before playing its first conference home game.

Seeing as how it opens the season at home against Georgia Southern, and ends the season with another mandatory in-state game against Georgia Tech (which fired its head coach at the end of last season), the schedule leaves no room for error.

Though Georgia may be the "flavor of the month" pick to be this year's best mid-major, the 'Dogs won't be a likable team; five players have been suspended this offseason for various issues, including reckless driving charges and other run-ins with the law. It won't help losing last year's starting left tackle, Trinton Sturdivant, for the season to injury, with reconstructive surgery required on his left knee; Georgia's line already has the tough task of replacing last year's starting center.

It remains to be seen just how this Bulldogs team will handle the pressure that going undefeated requires; Georgia has gone undefeated only once in the past 60 years, back in 1980.