ATHENS — While the College Football Playoff rankings come out later on Sunday, the AP Poll seemed to indicate Georgia shouldn’t feel all that confident about its playoff chances.

Georgia dropped from the No. 1 spot to the No. 6 spot following its 27-24 loss to Alabama on Saturday. It’s the first time all season that Georgia is not ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll.

This was Georgia’s first loss since the 2021 SEC Championship Game, which also came against Alabama.

The College Football Playoff rankings will be announced at noon ET on ESPN.

After the game, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart made his case for why Georgia should be in the playoff.

“It’s the best four teams,” Smart said. “So, if you’re going to tell me somebody sitting in that committee room and doesn’t think that Georgia team is one of the best four teams, I don’t know if they’re in the right profession because it’s a really good football team. It’s a really talented football team. It’s a really balanced football team. So, they have to make that decision, but it’s the best four teams, and that’s critical.”

Smart followed up his thoughts as to why he believed Georgia was one of the four best teams.

“I think it’s the eye test. I think you look at what we’ve done this season — to go on the road and to play some on the road the teams we beat, the teams that are in the top 20 that we were able to beat,” Smart said. “You know, I don’t know if this is right or not, but in the CFP era a team that goes in as 1 I don’t think has fallen out of that. Not that history says anything, but when you talk about the four best teams, watch the game. You know, go ask NFL talent evaluators. Go ask NFL scouts. It’s about the best teams. I have no question that it’s one of the best four teams.

Georgia had won the last two national championships, becoming the first team in College Football Playoff history to win back-to-back national titles. The Bulldogs went 12-0 during the regular season.

“I mean, to go through an SEC schedule, 12 games and to win each and every one, it’s not something easy to do, you know? It’s not easy, but I’m super proud of these guys,” Georgia quarterback Carson Beck said. “And obviously to come into this game and not, you know, finish the way that we wanted to and kind of leave the destiny of our team in someone else’s hands rather than us handling it ourselves, you know, that’s hard, but at this point it’s out of our control.”

You can see the full AP Poll Top 25 rankings below.

AP Poll Top 25 rankings Week 15