georgia uga bulldogs stetson bennett orange bowl kenny mcintosh brock bowers nakobe dean

ATHENS — Georgia football is hitting the reset button, with a historically successful regular season giving way to a disappointing SEC Championship Game and now transitioning to the College Football Playoffs.

The No. 3-ranked Bulldogs open with No. 2 Michigan at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 in the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff Semifinal in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Coach Kirby Smart has promised to evaluate every position after the 41-24 loss to Alabama last Saturday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, saying on Sunday there were “brutal truths” revealed that indicated changes are ahead.

Smart refused to single out any player, as one might imagine a head coach would do, but he made it clear the team has strong leadership that’s poised for a postseason run.

Here’s a look at whose stock is soaring and on the rise, and others who may have leveled out:

Stock soaring

Nakobe Dean: Dean was named the 2021 Butkus Award winner on Sunday, taking in 52 percent of the first-place votes to bring home the trophy over the other finalists, Devin Lloyd (Utah), Leo Chenal (Wisconsin), Damone Clark (LSU), Darrian Beavers (Cincinnati) and Cha Muma (Wyoming). Dean and Roquan Smith are the only two UGA players to win the award.

Brock Bowers: The freshman tight end was targeted 16 times and pulled in 10 catches for 139 yards and a touchdown. Bowers dined 53 of those yards after the catch, making him UGA’s most dangerous weapon.

Kenny McIntosh: McIntosh had the longest carry in the running backs room two weeks in a row, suddenly looking like the most effective tailback. McIntosh’s size, speed and versatility have helped him develop into an all-around back.

Orange Bowl: The South Florida bowl game hit the jackpot with this Michigan-Georgia matchup, as the traditional powerhouses have not played since 1965 in Ann Arbor. This Dec. 31 matchup will easily be the most talked-about bowl game before the College Football Playoff Championship Game on Jan. 10.

Jake Camarda: Camarda has quietly had an All-American season, and he came through in the clutch against Alabama with a 68-yard punt that flipped field position. Camarda also went 5-for-5 drilling his kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks.

Stock up

George Pickens: Pickens was limited to five targets and two catches, but one of them was a 37-yard grab that he skied high for between two defenders. Pickens will be three weeks further along in his recovery for the Orange Bowl and could be a bigger factor against Michigan.

Ladd McConkey: McConkey has evolved into an explosive, yards-after-the-catch receiver and has looked very good when given the opportunity to return punts.

Christopher Smith: Smith worked hard to get himself healthy enough to play after suffering a knee injury two weeks ago. Smith didn’t appear to be 100 percent, but he soldiered through and made 5 tackles.

Stock even

Kearis Jackson: Jackson was targeted four times and only made one catch for 4 yards. Jackson was the team’s leading receiver last season but has not found his rhythm with Bennett after missing games earlier this season after a summer knee procedure.

Stetson Bennett: More than once, Bennett appeared to focus in on Bowers rather than go through progressions. Bennett’s success has been somewhat mitigated by missing on short passes and leading receivers into defenders.

Georgia pass coverage: This relatively inexperienced group had some growing pains against a dynamic pass game, experiencing some broken assignments that led to big plays.