There’s been a lot of attention surrounding Cincinnati being the first Group of 5 school ever to be accepted into the top four spots of the final College Football Playoff rankings. However, there’s a strong chance that more history could be made in this year’s playoffs by way of the Georgia Bulldogs winning it all. 

Georgia earned a No. 3 seed in the 2021 College Football Playoff on Dec. 5. From weeks 10-14, the Bulldogs stood atop the rankings but, after their 41-24 loss to Alabama in the SEC championship, they fell two spots. 

Now, they have a date with No. 2 Michigan down in Miami Gardens, Florida, for the Orange Bowl. The game will be played on New Year’s Eve at 7:30 p.m. 

Will the drop affect UGA’s chances to take home the National Championship trophy? Well, let’s see what history tells us. 

In its seven-year history, a No. 1, No. 2 and even a No. 4 seed has won the national crown. But never has a No. 3 team accomplished such a feat. They either fall just short or flat on their face. 

Only three No. 3 seed playoff teams have advanced to the National Championship, too. 

Two of those three times have been the previous two seasons. The third team was when Georgia was No. 3 in 2017 and lost to No. 4 Alabama. 

Let’s just say Bulldog fans were well acquainted with Devonta Smith’s work long before he won the Heisman Trophy his senior season in 2020. 

The 2017 game, though, is the closest a No. 3 team has ever gotten to win the National Championship. 

Prior to Georgia’s overtime loss, the No. 3 seed never made it past the first round. On top of that, each No. 3 team lost its first round games by an average of nearly 34 points. 

The next No. 3 team to advance after UGA was Clemson in 2019. But it went up against a Joe Burrow-led LSU Tigers and lost 42-25. Last year, No. 3 Ohio State lost to No. 1 Alabama 52-24. 

But could this be the year a No. 3 seed finally breaks through to win it all? 

It does seem the Bulldogs are primed to be the ones to break the mold. They have the No. 1 defense in the nation, still, and, despite the SEC Championship loss, are in the thick of things because of UGA’s dominant regular season. 

We’ll just have to see when toe meets leather on New Year’s Eve.