Georgia is preparing for a bowl game, but it seems very different from the previous two years

The Georgia Bulldogs are preparing for a bowl game, as is customary at this time of year.

Nonetheless, it feels very different.

Georgia’s first loss in nearly two years robbed it a berth in the College Football Playoff after winning back-to-back national championships and holding the No. 1 ranking for nearly the entire season.

So, instead of preparing for a semifinal game in New Orleans or Pasadena and the potential to win a third straight national championship, the Bulldogs (12-1) must settle for an Orange Bowl battle with unbeaten Florida State that has little meaning beyond pride.

“It’s definitely not the ideal situation,” admitted offensive tackle Earnest Greene III.

The Bulldogs, on the other hand, say they are not phoning it in.

They point to an incoming senior class that, with one more triumph, might become the winningest in school history. They highlight the opportunity to get a jump start on another successful campaign in 2024. And, of course, they point to a desire to wash the sting of a loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game.