ESPN Names College Football's 'Model Program'

No team has sustained the level of success that the Georgia Bulldogs have over the last three seasons.

Kirby Smart's Dawgs won back-to-back national championships from 2021-2022 and fell one game short of a chance at a three-peat last season. Georgia has also sent 33 players to the NFL in the last three drafts, the best of any program in that span.

Georgia has lost two games since 2021, both coming at the hands of Nick Saban's Alabama. With Saban retired and Georgia favored to win it all in 2024, UGA is the "model program" in the sport, according to ESPN's Bill Connelly .

"This is college football's model program," Connelly wrote. "And in 2024, it returns far more than normal."

Georgia returns 10 starters from an offense that finished No. 5 in the country last season. Heisman favorite quarterback Carson Beck leads a talented group at skill positions combined with one of the top offensive lines in the country.

Defensively, UGA returns six starters, including two-time All-American safety Malaki Starks. The bulk of the defensive line is also back, featuring Mykel Williams, Nazir Stackhouse, and Warren Brinson, among others.

It seems the Bulldogs are a lock to make the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff this season, but the schedule is certainly daunting with road trips slated to Alabama, Texas and Ole Miss.

Georgia has its work cut out to maintain the elite level of consistency that we've witnessed under Smart and company. However, UGA fans can rest easier with the talent back in Athens.

Related: Kirby Smart Forced To Delete ‘Happy Birthday’ Post For Awkward Reason