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College football fans rarely agree on much but ESPN’s Rece Davis and Pete Thamel both believe the same team should be considered this year’s preseason No. 1.
On a recent episode of the “College GameDay Podcast,” the network colleagues discussed the case for which school between the Georgia Bulldogs and Ohio State Buckeyes is most deserving of entering the 2024 season in the top spot.
And both would take Kirby Smart’s team.
“I really like their defense,” Thamel said. “Malaki Starks could be one of the better safety prospects we see come through college football. Like, a once every five year guy. … Again, they add the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. … They have arguably the best returning offensive line in the country … Ohio State’s group is good but has been a weak point and has especially not been able to go toe-to-toe with Michigan in those games if you had to distill it.”
Thamel added that there are certainly arguments you could make for the Buckeyes but as it stands the depth of talent in the trenches and secondary for Georgia is just too overwhelming according to the CFB writer.
Regardless, both programs are expected to be right in the national title mix at the end of the year and that’s really what counts.