ATHENS — Georgia and Florida State head to the Orange Bowl with plenty of conviction and something to prove.

The teams will meet in the popular New Year’s 6 bowl game at 4 p.m. on Dec. 30 in Miami Gardens, Fla., looking to make a statement.

The Bulldogs can prove their championship value by taking down an unbeaten Power 5 opponent, while the Seminoles have a chance to beat a two-time defending champ that will be closer to full health at the end of the month than they were this weekend.

“I believe in this team, I believe in what they can do,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said leading up to the CFP selection show. “They showed up every single week and won. So I don’t really care what everyone else’s opinion’s are.

“Whatever the next opportunity it, I promise we’ll show up.”

The Bulldogs (12-1) and Seminoles (13-0) have resumes worthy of making the four-team CFP field any other year but were left out on selection Sunday.

When the dust settled on the controversial selection process, Michigan was ranked No. 1 and will play No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and Washington was No. 2 and slated to play No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl.

Georgia, ranked No. 6, had won 29 in a row before a narrow 27-24 SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama on Saturday.

These Bulldogs actually brought a better resume to the table than the 2021 version that made the CFP field after a 41-24 loss in the SEC title game to the Bryce Young-led version of the Tide.

Read more at DawgNation.