All season, everyone believed Ohio State was by far the best team in the country. The Buckeyes held the No. 1 ranking from Week 2 all the way to the Big Ten Championship game. Then the Indiana Hoosiers manhandled Ryan Day’s squad and snatched their No. 1 seed. After that, betting on Ohio State to win anything feels risky. But not for Kirk Herbstreit.

“Georgia is going to be one of the TOUGH teams to beat now that the playoffs are all set.” Kirk Herbstreit wrote it on X with the highlight of their SEC championship dominance.

The longtime analyst has already picked his top team from the SEC to take the natty. It’s none other than Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs. It comes down to a few simple facts: they are loaded with talent, have a killer coaching staff, and their defense is absolutely lights-out. The oddsmakers in Vegas agree; Georgia currently has the third-best odds (650+) to win it all per BetGMG. They know how to win big games and have the roster depth to go all the way again this season.

The Dawgs rolled into the postseason with a 12-1 record, proving once again why they are the boogeyman of college football. Their only slip-up was a tight 24-21 loss to Alabama back in September, but they learned from it and went on a major tear.

Fast forward to Championship week, Kirby Smart overcame his kryptonite and settled the score against Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama with an 28-7 win in Atlanta. All thanks to their defense.

Georgia’s defense is absolutely phenomenal and arguably the best unit in college football right now. They are ranked 4th in the nation in Rushing Yards Allowed Per Game (79.2) and 11th in total Opponent Points Per Game (15.9). The Bulldogs can outscore and out-defend any team in the country. It won’t be easy for any team to go hand-to-hand with Georgia, whether it’s Ohio State or even Indiana.

They held Alabama to 210-ish yards shocking minus-3 rushing yards for the entire game. Plus, the special teams made huge plays, like blocking a punt and getting a pick, which helped them get their first two touchdowns. You can’t win a championship without stopping the other team, and nobody does it better than the Dawgs.

Looking ahead, the Dawgs have an exceptional path to a national championship. That big win landed them the No. 3 seed and locked them into a top-four spot with a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Dawgs now have nearly four weeks to rest. Starting their playoff journey later gives them a significant advantage over the other teams.

Georgia’s case for winning it all is not hard to see. They’re riding a hot nine-game winning streak and playing their best football right now. With a mind-boggling 65-5 record over the last five seasons, it’s Georgia’s natty to win.

The Bulldogs’ roadmap to the natty

The Georgia Bulldogs have a clear but tough road ahead. After their long-rested byes, the Bulldogs’ first opponent will be the winner of the game between No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 11 Tulane in the quarterfinals on New Years. So they’ll be playing in a classic bowl game right off the bat.

If the Bulldogs manage to win the Sugar Bowl, things get even more interesting in the semifinals, which will be the Fiesta Bowl on January 8th. Their next likely opponent would be a powerhouse from their half of the bracket, likely the No. 2 seed Ohio State or maybe even the Aggies. If it is the Buckeyes, then it’s their unofficial natty game.

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If they somehow get past Ohio State, then comes the National Championship game on January 20th in Miami Gardens, Florida. They’ll face the top team that emerged from the other side of the playoff bracket. That side is stacked with teams like the No. 1 seed Indiana, Texas Tech, and Oregon. It’s easier said and done.