The Georgia Bulldogs football program has a rich history when it comes to churning out players to the NFL.

Within the last two decades, former UGA players such as Terrell Davis, Champ Bailey, Hines Ward, and Richard Seymour have all been big-time players within the professional ranks.

Currently, Georgia is in the midst of a fantastic streak as it pertains to the Super Bowl. The program has been represented in each of the past 16 Super Bowls. In this year’s installment, the New England Patriots include former UGA WR Malcolm Mitchell and C David Andrews.

This statistic certainly speaks well of the program. Residing in the one of the most talent-rich states in the country for high school football players certainly doesn’t hurt matters. Georgia is able to cultivate and develop the said talent.

While Georgia currently had 57 former players participate in the NFL this past year (the third-most for any program), this sort of excellence hasn’t translated to the field in the college ranks.

Dating back to Mark Richt’s first season in Athens (2001), here’s a look at the Bulldogs’ year-by-year records from the past 16 seasons:

2001: 8-4 (loss in Music City Bowl)

2002: 13-1 (win in Sugar Bowl)

2003: 11-3 (win in Capital One Bowl)

2004: 10-2 (win in Outback Bowl)

2005: 10-3 (loss in Sugar Bowl)

2006: 9-4 (win in Chick-fil-A Bowl)

2007: 11-2 (win in Sugar Bowl)

2008: 10-3 (win in Capital One Bowl)

2009: 8-5  (win in Independence Bowl)

2010: 6-7 (loss in Liberty Bowl)

2011: 10-4 (loss in Outback Bowl)

2012: 12-2 (win in Capital One Bowl)

2013: 8-5 (loss in Gator Bowl)

2014: 10-3 (win in Belk Bowl)

2015: 9-3 (win in TaxSlayer Bowl)

2016 (under Kirby Smart): 8-5 (win in Liberty Bowl)

In this 16-year period, Georgia has won 10 bowl games. With that said, the Bulldogs haven’t been able to win a National Title. It also has only three outright Division Titles during this time.

Some could point to the ‘Dawgs ability to recruit. Well, there’s no question Georgia has little difficulty in this capacity.

Using 247Sports composite recruiting rankings, Georgia has finished with a top-10 class nationally in 13 of the past 15 years. The Bulldogs finished with the No. 11 class in 2010, and the No. 12 class in 2013. In this current cycle, Georgia is No. 3 with less than two weeks until National Signing Day.

Georgia’s results have been good relative to the majority of college football programs. With that said, it hasn’t garnered the success it’s been wanting within the SEC. There’s a mass amount of pressure from the fan base in Athens, and the program simply hasn’t delivered in the manner it has when it comes to recruiting.

This is even seen versus its most-fierce rival, Florida. Georgia has beaten Florida only six times since 1990.

Based upon empirical and quantitative evidence, Georgia will always recruit well. Anything short of being a perennial top-10 team will be seen as a disappointment. It will be fascinating to see if the program under Kirby Smart can reach these new heights – whilst also bringing Georgia its first national title since 1980.