The 2024 season is still a good way off, as we’re a little over a month removed from the conclusion of the 2023 season.

But when things do start up in August, expect the Georgia Bulldogs to be seen as the top team in the sport.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly released his initial SP+ rankings for the 2024 season on Wednesday. Unsurprisingly, the Bulldogs come in at No. 1 in these rankings, which are tabulated using a combination of returning production, recruiting rankings and recent success.

Given Georgia has won two national championships and just signed the No. 1 recruiting class for the 2024 cycle, you can easily understand why Georgia sits atop these rankings.

“Georgia, when my SP+ projections come out tomorrow, Georgia is going to be a distant No. 1 in the country, about four points ahead of Ohio State in second place,” Connelly said in a Tuesday appearance on the Paul Finebaum show.

To Connelly’s point, Georgia is 4.4 points ahead of Ohio State, the No. 2 team. There is a 4.5-point differential between Ohio State and the No. 7 team, Penn State.

Georgia ranks 47th in returning production, but the Bulldogs did get a major boost when quarterback Carson Beck elected to return for 2024. In his first season as a starter, Beck threw for 3,941 yards and 24 touchdowns.

The hope is that Beck improves on those numbers, even with Georgia losing several key pieces around him in tight end Brock Bowers, wide receiver Ladd McConkey and center Sedrick Van Pran.

Georgia did lean heavily on the transfer portal this offseason, as it brought in seven players, most notably running back Trevor Etienne. By comparison, Georgia brought in just six players via the transfer portal in the previous three offseasons combined.

Connelly’s rankings have six SEC teams in the top 11, with Texas at No. 4, Alabama at No. 6, Ole Miss at No. 8, LSU at No. 10 and Missouri coming in at No. 11.

While Georgia may enter the season as the favorite, it will need to navigate a tricky schedule if it is going to end up in the College Football Playoff. Georgia has road games against Texas, Alabama and Ole Miss, along with a season-opening game against No. 16 Clemson.