Georgia football has not shied away from scheduling non-conference games with marquee games in the Playoff era.
The Bulldogs are set to kickoff this season in Atlanta versus No. 11 Oregon on Sept. 3 after starting the 2021 season in Charlotte against No. 3 Clemson.
UGA head coach Kirby Smart was asked about scheduling non-conference games in a press conference this week.
“It’s never changed for us,” Smart said. “It has always been my philosophy to go play quality opponents, Power-5 opponents, a good matchup. I don’t care if it’s home and home. I don’t care if it’s neutral site. Go play a good team that helps your team get better. When you play in the SEC, you’re going to run the gauntlet anyways. What’s playing one more good, physical team. We don’t run from that at Georgia. We try to embrace that.”
Just look at some of the Bulldogs future non-conference opponents through 2028.
- 2023: Sept. 9 at Oklahoma
- 2024: Aug. 31 vs. Clemson (Atlanta)
- 2025: Aug 30. at UCLA
- 2026: Sept. 5 vs. UCLA and Sept. 19 at Louisville
- 2027: Sept. 4 at Florida State and Sept. 18 vs Louisville
- 2028: Sept. 2 at Texas and Sept. 16 vs Florida State
“Our fans want that—I want that,” Smart said. It generates a lot more excitement, and you recruit off that. You go and get to sell the opening game, playing in big-time games. I think that’s important. As far as the philosophy, us playing more SEC games if that happens, so be it. It’s not going to change our philosophy as far as what we do non-conference. We had already moved to that before the realignment. We were already trying to schedule big games every year, and that’s just the way that we think is best.”
The Bulldogs also have home-and-home games scheduled with Clemson, Oklahoma and Ohio State through 2034.
