ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia coach Kirby Smart wouldn't say if being ranked 12th by the College Football Playoff selection committee motivated the Bulldogs to prove a point in Saturday night's game against No. 7 Tennessee.
Coming off last week's ugly 28-10 loss at Ole Miss, their second defeat of the season, the Bulldogs would be the first team left out of the playoff if the 12-team bracket was based on the current rankings. No. 13 Boise State would have received the automatic bid as the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion and have jumped them.