Georgia football puts itself on different level, schedules Clemson, Texas

Georgia football set a good example for the rest of college football, schedules Clemson and Texas in future seasons. Why can’t the rest of the nation do it?

What do college football fans want? Other than possibly an eight-team playoff and no offseason, you’d have to say better non-conference matchups. Well, Georgia football is trying to fix that, scheduling two huge future opponents for home-and-homes.

Many teams get downgraded for their non-conference schedule, especially those from the SEC, but Georgia is now set to meet Texas, Clemson, Notre Dame, Virginia, Oregon and UCLA over the next 12 years. That includes a game next year with the Fighting Irish, a meeting in 2020 with the Cavaliers and the Ducks in the 2022 Kickoff Classic.

Texas and Clemson were the latest big-ticket games added to the Bulldogs’ calendar:

Not only is this good for the sport, but it’s great for the program which sometimes catches some flak for being a member of an SEC that doesn’t exactly schedule a ton of Power Five foes — especially for that late-season non-conference bout.

Georgia will head to Austin to face the Longhorns on September 2, 2028, with Texas heading to Athens the following year on September 1. As for the Clemson series, that will see the Bulldogs go to Death Valley on September 15, 2029, with the rematch set for August 31 in 2030.

The Georgia-Clemson games will be precluded by a matchup in the 2024 Kickoff Classic at Mercedes Benz Stadium between the two. That series isn’t as new as the one with Texas, as the Bulldogs and Tigers have met 64 times.

The series dates all the way back to 1897, with the most recent games coming in 2014 and 2013. Georgia won at home four years ago and Clemson the season before, as the ‘Dawgs hold a 42-18-4 advantage all-time.

Georgia is just 1-3 vs. Texas all-time winning in the 1984 Cotton Bowl. The three previous meets included an Orange Bowl victory by the Longhorns in 1949 and wins in 1957 and ’58.

Trendsetters

The rest of the nation needs to take notes because this is exactly how to get your program recognized even more on a widespread level.

Will Smart, Herman or Dabo Swinney still be coaching these programs a decade from now? It’s possible, but that’s not the point.

Georgia is taking a risk by scheduling top-tier teams in non-conference play with potential playoff hopes on the line for national recognition and fan happiness.

As is most cases with some of the premier programs in the nation, these games are booked years in advance. And while they don’t always actually end up being played, it is fun to think about the matchups already.

Bulldog head coach Kirby Smart stated on the future games:

“When you come to the University of Georgia, you want to play the best and our fan base will travel anywhere. I think it’s great.”

If you’re a fan of the Bulldogs, you have to be happy. If you’re not, you have to applaud what the program is doing and it may set a precedent for SEC teams in the future.