UGA ends season a unanimous AP No. 1

Georgia capped its College Football Playoff national championship as a unanimous No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 balloting of the season, released Tuesday.

It was the Bulldogs’ first season-ending No. 1 spot in the poll since 1980, when they were 12-0 and national champions. The 2021 Bulldogs finished 14-1, and it was their third top-5 finish in five years under head coach Kirby Smart.

Alabama, beaten 33-18 by Georgia on Monday night in Indianapolis, finished No. 2.

The two other CFP semifinalists — Michigan and

Cincinnati — ended up Nos. 3 and 4, respectively. Georgia defeated Michigan in the Orange Bowl 34-11, and Cincinnati lost to Alabama in the Cotton Bowl, 27-6.

Rounding out the Top 5 was Baylor, which beat Ole Miss 21-6 in the Sugar Bowl. It was the first Top 5 finish for both Baylor and Cincinnati.

Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Notre Dame, Michigan State and Oklahoma made up the rest of the Top 10.

In all, the Southeastern Conference had five teams, followed by the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference with four each. The Big 12 had three teams, the Pacific-12,

Mountain West and American Athletic conference each had two, and two independents

made the Top 25. The Sun Belt was represented by one team.

Marc lebryk-uSa today Sports Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) celebrates after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2022 CFP college football national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Jan. 10, in Indianapolis.