Florida State is not the only team playing in this week's Orange Bowl that could be a little less than thrilled to be in the game.

The No. 6 Georgia Bulldogs (12-1) have won each of the last two national championships. They spent the entire season at No. 1 in the polls before their 29-game winning streak was snapped in an SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama.

That loss kept FSU out of the College Football Playoff despite the Seminoles' 13-0 record. It also sets the stage for UGA's Orange Bowl matchup against FSU (4 p.m. Saturday on ESPN) to be the program's first game in the last three seasons without national championship implications.

Like the Seminoles, the Bulldogs are dealing with a depleted roster, with as many as 20 players unavailable. However, UGA's absences are not as significant for the Seminoles at the most important spots.

For one, the Bulldogs will have starting quarterback Carson Beck available for the Orange Bowl while FSU is starting third-string, true freshman Brock Glenn at quarterback.

Beck, a junior who recently announced he would be returning for a second season with the Bulldogs instead of declaring for the NFL Draft, had quite a debut season this fall as Stetson Bennett's replacement.

The Jacksonville native completed 72.8% of his passes this season, throwing for 3,738 yards, 22 touchdown passes and six interceptions with 127 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns as well.

While Beck is surrounded by some of the best talent in the country in Athens, FSU defensive coordinator Adam Fuller knows Beck's success is far more than a symptom of the pieces around him.

"His efficiency throwing the football is as good as there is in the country right now..." Fuller said this week of Beck. "It's not all him and he's not only a product of what they've been doing on offense. They've had good perimeter players, they've created some good space. They've had the best tight end in college football. They protect the passer and he's efficient.

"I do think what you see from him that he probably doesn't get acknowledged for, he's not a scrambler but what he does is he does know how to escape the pocket and when to escape. He normally does it with really good efficiency of getting first downs. You put that together and I think that's why he's had such a good year, that's why they have been so efficient on offense. I think he gets a lot of credit for that. I think he deserves it."

The Bulldogs enter Saturday's game seventh nationally in yards per play this season (7.12) and 10th nationally in yards per pass attempt (9.3). While they are expected to be without star tight end Brock Bowers and offensive tackle standout Amarius Mims, each likely first-round draft picks in April, UGA has more of its regular offensive contributors available than the Seminoles.

Both main Georgia running backs in Daijun Edwards (818 yards, 11 touchdowns this season) and Kendall Milton (686 yards, 12 TDs) will play in the Orange Bowl. It appears wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who has battled injuries this season but amassed 762 yards and seven touchdown catches last season, will as well.

On the other side of the ball, the Bulldogs ranked 14th nationally this season in yards per play allowed (4.83). Although the Kirby Smart dynasty has been built on stellar defense, this isn't the best unit the Bulldogs have had over this recent stretch. Six of Georgia's 13 opponents averaged more than five yards per play in their games against the Bulldogs this season.

However, UGA does have the benefit of having perhaps its entire starting defense available for the Orange Bowl, a luxury FSU does not have with at least four starters out on each side of the ball.

Even Georgia underclassmen who are likely NFL bound after the season like cornerback Kamari Lassiter and safety Javon Bullard are expected to play according to UGASports.com.

FSU offensive coordinator Alex Atkins knows the challenge the Bulldogs can present due to Smart's track record as a defensive mastermind at both Georgia and Alabama.

“Looking at Georgia's defense, what stands out for me is just its soundness. They’re very, very detailed and fundamental," Atkins said. "You watch them up front in their technique when they're using their hands, playing the gap and have leverage and things of that nature. The discipline they play with (is great). They're always going to be lined up perfectly and the way they fly around you (is impressive)…

"The way that the defense is built there are not many holes or leverages you can attack. Both safeties can play both sides whether it be field or boundary and you’ve got a defensive line that can kind of smother you and kind of keep you in tight. They can leverage the football. A lot of their three-down (lineman) stuff is to prevent things from going on the edges so you’ve got to make sure you’re presenting some difficulties and problems, find ways to attack them and leverage them.”

It could prove to be an especially tough challenge for Glenn in his second career start. However, it's something he's embracing, even if the circumstances around this FSU team have changed significantly since the end of the regular season.

“They’ve got guys everywhere. Their secondary is good, their linebackers are good, a well-rounded defense," Glenn said. "But we’ve got a game plan and we're prepared. We've played two SEC teams and won both of them in LSU and Florida.”

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