Will Georgia three-peat as national champions? Schedule could help Bulldogs make history

Kirby Smart knows the history. 

Just don't count on the Georgia coach to talk about it much this season. The Bulldogs – who are ranked No. 1 in the AP and Coaches Preseason Polls – are in position to do what no school has accomplished since 1936. 

Will Georgia three-peat as national champions in 2023? 

"No offense to the Minnesota 1935 team, but I don't know if it's gonna resonate with my audience," Smart said at SEC Media Days on July 18. "I don't care about the three-peat, the two-peat or the one-peat." 

Georgia returns another team flush with blue-chip talent that could be in position for that that third straight national championship. That road, however, will not be easy. 

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A look at Georgia’s last national titles, other teams that tried to three-peat and the odds the Bulldogs will face in 2023: 

Minnesota is only school to three-peat

Minnesota won three straight national championships under coach Bernie Bierman from 1934-36. The Gophers had a 23-1 record in those three seasons and outscored their opponents 667-106. Minnesota lost two games in the 1937 season, which ended a chance for four straight national championships. 

How many national titles has Georgia won?

Smart has built a dominant program at Georgia. 

In 2021, the Bulldogs ended a national championship drought that extended back to 1980. Georgia beat Alabama 33-18 in the College Football Playoff championship game; which avenged a 41-24 loss in the SEC championship game. 

Georgia finished 15-0 last season – and they capped that run with a 65-7 victory against TCU in the CFP championship game. It’s been an impressive run where the Bulldogs have won 33 of their 34 games since the 2020 regular season. 

Georgia has a few impressive streaks along the way: 

-The Bulldogs have won 19 straight SEC regular-season games – and they have beaten those opponents by an average of 27.8 points per game. 

-Georgia has won 18 straight home games – the second-longest active streak in the FBS behind Alabama at 20. The Bulldogs’ last loss at Sanford Stadium was a 20-17 loss to South Carolina on Oct. 12, 2019. 

Which teams that tried to three-peat? 

Since the Gophers, a total of 11 teams from seven schools have tried to repeat. USA Today broke down that list of teams. Georgia will be the 12th school to attempt the three-peat. 

Here is a look at those teams by year: 

Eight of those teams tried before the Bowl Alliance was formed in 1992, which made for some subjective misses. For example, Army tied Notre Dame 0-0 in 1946 and the Irish were named national champions. The same thing happened to the Irish in 1948. A 14-14 tie against USC led to Michigan winning the national title. 

Even 1966 Alabama – which finished unbeaten – finished No. 3 behind Notre Dame and Michigan State – which played to a legendary tie that season. 

Last 3 teams that tried to three-peat 

Three teams have tried for the three-peat since the Bowl Alliance was formed – and those are the best teams to compare to this Georgia run. 

Nebraska (1996) 

The Huskers were 25-0 in winning back-to-back national titles under Tom Osborne in 1994 and 1995, and Scott Frost took over for Tommie Frazier at quarterback. Nebraska lost 19-0 at Arizona State in a Week 2 stunner before getting back in the national title mix. That ended with a 37-27 loss to Texas in the first Big 12 championship game. 

USC (2005)

Who could forget this team? Heisman Trophy winners Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush led Pete Carroll’s national title teams in 2003 and 2004, and the Trojans took a 34-game win streak into the BCS championship game against Texas. Vince Young led the Longhorns to a thrilling 41-38 victory. USC remains the most-recent team to come closest to a three-peat. 

Alabama (2013)

Alabama had won back-to-back national titles and 15 straight games with quarterback A.J. McCarron, and the Crimson Tide was 11-0 heading into to the Iron Bowl against Auburn. The Tigers shook up the college football world with the “Kick Six” that knocked Alabama down to the Sugar Bowl. Alabama lost 45-31 to Oklahoma for an 11-2 season under Nick Saban.  

Georgia national title odds in 2023

According to Bet MGM, Georgia has the best odds of winning a national championship. The Bulldogs are one of nine teams with odds of +2000 or better. 

Georgia 2023 football schedule 

Georgia will face two ranked teams in 2023. That schedule – which opens with four straight homes in September – is yet another reason why the Bulldogs are favored to at least advance to the College Football Playoff for the third straight season. 

The toughest matchup on the schedule will be Nov. 11 at Tennessee. The Volunteers and Bulldogs met in a “Game of the Century” in 2022, which Georgia won 27-13.