Texas Trending Up, Bama Down? Taking a new look at Georgia's 2024 Schedule.
With the additions of Texas and Oklahoma taking effect this fall, each SEC team will face a more difficult schedule. Though the conference is still operating with an eight-game slate, each team's schedule got a whole lot tougher. The conference also did away with divisions, opting to send the two teams with the highest-conference winning percentages to Atlanta.
For Georgia, that means a trip to Austin for a matchup with Texas on top of trips to Alabama, Ole Miss, and Kentucky. The Dawgs also start the year with an ACC-SEC matchup against Clemson in Atlanta. All in all, with having to face two CFP participants on the road and taking on some up-and-comers in the conference, it comes out as one of the toughest slates in the country. But with Nick Saban's retirement, is it as difficult of a road as it once was?
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck (15) throws the ball during the second half of his team's 2023 game against Florida at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla.
© Matt Pendleton / USA TODAY NETWORK
In short, no. Since Saban's departure, there's been a mass exodus of players from Tuscaloosa, including the SEC's Freshman of the Year Caleb Downs. But more than that is the fact that Nick Saban is no longer patrolling the sidelines. Alabama is still a blueblood college football program, but, until proven otherwise, it's not the nightmare-inducing Death Star it was under Saban. Going to Tuscaloosa will always be tough, but Georgia being Kalen DeBoer's "welcome to the SEC" is good news for the Bulldogs.
Georgia Bulldogs 2024 Football Schedule
- Aug. 31 - vs Clemson (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Sept. 7 - vs Tennessee Tech
- Sept. 14 - @ Kentucky
- Sept. 21 - BYE
- Sept. 28 @ Alabama
- Oct. 5 - vs Auburn
- Oct. 12 - vs Mississippi State
- Oct. 19 - @ Texas
- Oct. 26 - BYE
- Nov. 2 - vs Florida (Jacksonville, Fl.)
- Nov. 9 - @ Ole Miss
- Nov. 16 - vs Tennessee
- Nov. 23 vs UMass
- Nov. 30 vs Georgia Tech
In contrast, the trip to Texas is looking more and more difficult by the day. Earlier this week, quarterback Quinn Ewers announced he was spurning the NFL Draft to return to Texas. The Longhorns have also been busy in the transfer portal, landing two former Alabama players in WR Isaiah Bond and LB Kendrick Blackshire. They're also in the hunt for Alabama TE Amari Niblack. Texas will be coming off of their rivalry game against Oklahoma when they face Georgia, while Georgia will be in the midst of a tough four-game stretch.
Like the trip to Austin, November 9th's trip to Ole Miss is looking like it's going to be a rock fight. The Rebels lost All-SEC running back Quinshon Judkins to Ohio State, but they've brought in 13 additions, including 5-star DT Walter Nolan from Texas A&M. All of a sudden Lane Kiffin's squad is looking like a real contender for not just the expanded playoff, but the SEC crown.
Georgia will also face former quarterback Brock Vandergriff on the road when they take on Kentucky in week three and you can't look past Clemson in week one. It looks like a custom schedule from Dynasty mode in EA Sports College Football, but one that Georgia should be able to manage.
Other Georgia News:
- All-American Honors Roll In for Standout Georgia Freshman
- Georgia Bulldogs Could Surpass 2023 Totals in This Year's NFL Draft
- OL Tate Ratledge Returning to Georgia For 2024 Season
Join the Community
Follow Christian Goeckel on Twitter: @GoeckelSI
Subscribe to our YouTube Page HERE.
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @BulldogMaven & follow us on Twitter at @DawgsDailyFN
