Georgia’s 2023 schedule is going to be a season-long storyline. Even with the Bulldogs winning back-to-back national championships, the strength of Georgia’s schedule is going to lend doubt about how good the Bulldogs are.

Georgia does not have a marquee non-conference game this season, as the Bulldogs were forced to swap out Oklahoma for Ball State at the behest of the SEC. That leaves the Bulldogs with a non-conference slate of games against UT-Martin, Ball State, UAB and Georgia Tech.

From the SEC side of things, Georgia doesn’t play Alabama, LSU or Texas A&M from the SEC West. The Bulldogs draw Auburn and Ole Miss, with the latter coming at home. Factor in that Florida and Auburn are both in various stages of a rebuild and Georgia’s schedule doesn’t appear to have all that much bite.

“If Georgia doesn’t win at Tennessee on Nov. 18 and in turn doesn’t win the East Division, the Dawgs could be in big trouble,” ESPN’s Heather Dinich wrote. “There is no Oregon on this schedule like last season. Georgia plays UT Martin, Ball State, UAB and Georgia Tech in its nonconference schedule -- none of which are going to impress the selection committee, even in lopsided wins.”

Georgia though hasn’t had much trouble during the last two regular seasons. Only Clemson in 2021 and Missouri last season were able to keep Georgia within single digits. The Bulldogs won both of those games on their way to back-to-back national championships.

The Bulldogs are 29-1 in the previous two seasons, with the lone loss coming against Alabama in the 2021 SEC Championship Game. Georgia went 15-0 last year and brings back a number of key contributors from that team.

Georgia doesn’t let the schedule dictate their mood. They know there are no easy weeks given how Kirby Smart has his team approach practice.

“Those games didn’t create our sense of urgency; we create our sense of urgency. The game doesn’t do it,” Smart said. “You may put that myth out there, but the Clemson or Oregon game doesn’t set that, that’s not the case. What sets it is when we put that ball down in Sanford Stadium, those scrimmages you had in fall camp, we’re going against the best team that we play and your standard had better be right.

“You go out there in practice and you’re not playing your best, you’re playing against as good a team as you’ll play. So, it’s not about the team we play, guys. It’s about what we do. So, I’m not going to allow anybody else to make an excuse for the opponent we play.”

The Bulldogs do have some questions to answer, as they will have a new quarterback and offensive coordinator. Carson Beck is expected to take over for Stetson Bennett while Mike Bobo is the team’s new offensive coordinator. Defensively, outside linebacker is the biggest unknown, though the secondary also has some holes.

Georgia will first take the field on Sept. 2 when it hosts UT-Martin. Georgia won’t play its first road game until the end of September when it visits Auburn on Sept. 30.