Georgia football schedule in 2021 adds Clemson in neutral site opener

ATHENS — Georgia football has taken another step in beefing up its future schedule, agreeing to open the 2021 season against Clemson at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

Kirby Smart declared last summer “I want Georgia on the national stage.” And now Smart has backed it up with what promises to be a much-anticipated, nationally televised showdown.

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The addition of Clemson to the 2021 schedule replaces the formerly slated Sept. 4 opening game at Sanford Stadium against San Jose State.

The Bulldogs’ other non-conference games in 2021 are against UAB (Sept. 11), FCS Charleston Southern (Nov. 20) and Georgia Tech (Nov. 27).

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DawgNation reported last spring that Clemson coach Dabo Swinney was eager to schedule Georgia.

“We should play Georgia every year if it was up to me,” Swinney said last April. “We’re 80 miles, and they need a game, we need a game. We had to travel to Texas A&M (2018), when we could have gone 80 miles.”

Swinney talked exclusively to DawgNation about the rich history of what was once an annual rivalry.

“For years and years and years, Clemson and Georgia played every year, and somewhere along the line that went away,” Swinney said.

“It’s a tough game because they are one of the best teams in the country, but it’s a great game for the fans, and we have to play people. I’d just as soon play them than have to go all the way somewhere else to get a game.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart has talked several times about wanting to increase the Bulldogs’ schedule difficulty, likely in anticipation of an expanded College Football Playoff model.

“I just think that’s the way football’s headed, I’ll be honest with you,” Smart said, discussing his desire to add more Power 5 non-conference opponents.

“I think the day of playing more competitive games, there’s more parity in our conference. I think going out and playing tougher opponents is a good thing.”

The forefathers at Clemson and Georgia were in agreement.

UGA and Clemson played every year from 1897-1916, and all but two seasons from 1962 to 1987. Upon SEC expansion in 1992, Georgia had home-and-home series’ with Clemson in 1990-1991, 1994-1995, 1998-1999 and 2002-2003.

Clemson plays in-state rival South Carolina as a non-conference home-and-home every season, just as Georgia is saddled with in-state non-conference opponent Georgia Tech annually.

UGA and Clemson will also open their respective 2024 seasons against one another on Aug. 31 in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The teams have a home-and-home series scheduled for 2029-2030, and 2032-2033.

The Bulldogs play at Clemson in 2029 and 2033. The Tigers will play in Athens in 2030 and 2032.

“I don’t run from that competition,” Smart said. “I think it’s the best thing for the game.”

2020

Non-conference opponents

Sept. 7 — vs. Virginia in Atlanta

Sept. 12 — East Tennessee State

Sept. 26 — Louisiana-Monroe

Nov. 28 — Georgia Tech

SEC opponents

Sept. 19 at Alabama

Oct. 3 vs. Vanderbilt

Oct. 10 vs. Auburn

Oct. 17 at Missouri

Oct. 31 at Florida, at Jacksonville

Nov. 7 at South Carolina

Nov. 14 vs. Tennessee

Nov. 21 at Kentucky

2021

Non-conference opponents

TBA — Power 5 opponent

Sept. 4 — San Jose State

Sept. 11 — UAB

Nov. 27 — at Georgia Tech

SEC opponents

Arkansas

at Auburn

Florida — at Jacksonville

at Tennessee

Kentucky

Missouri

at Vanderbilt

South Carolina

2022

Non-conference opponents

TBA — Non-Power 5 opponent

Sept. 3 — vs. Oregon in Atlanta

Sept. 24 — Kent State

Nov. 26 — Georgia Tech

SEC opponents

at Mississippi State

Auburn

Florida (Jacksonville/Athens — Jax contract runs through 2021)

Tennessee

at Kentucky

at Missouri

Vanderbilt

at South Carolina

2023

Non-conference opponents

TBA — Power 5 opponent

TBA — Non-Power 5 opponent

TBA — Indiana State

Nov. 25 — at Georgia Tech

SEC opponents

Ole Miss

at Auburn

Florida (Jacksonville/Gainesville — Jax contract runs through 2021)

at Tennessee

Kentucky

Missouri

at Vanderbilt

South Carolina

2024

Non-conference opponents

Aug. 31 — vs. Clemson in Atlanta

TBA — Non-Power 5 opponent

Nov. 30 — Georgia Tech

SEC opponents

at Texas A&M

Auburn

Florida (Jacksonville/Athens — Jax contract runs through 2021)

Tennessee

at Kentucky

at Missouri

Vanderbilt

at South Carolina

2025

Non-conference opponents

Aug. 30 — at UCLA

TBA — Non-Power 5 opponent

Nov. 29 — at Georgia Tech

SEC opponents

LSU

at Auburn

Florida (Jacksonville/Gainesville, Jax contract runs through 2021)

at Tennessee

Kentucky

Missouri

at Vanderbilt

South Carolina

2026

Non-conference opponents

Sept. 5 — UCLA

TBA — Non-Power 5 opponent

Nov. 28 — Georgia Tech

SEC opponents

at Arkansas* (projected rotation beyond official schedule through 2025)

Auburn

Florida (Jacksonville/Athens — Jax contract runs through 2021)

Tennessee

at Kentucky

at Missouri

Vanderbilt

at South Carolina

2027

Non-conference opponents

Sept. 4 — at Florida State

TBA — Non-Power 5 opponent

Nov. 27 at Georgia Tech

SEC opponents

Alabama* (projected rotation beyond official schedule through 2025)

at Auburn

Florida (Jacksonville/Gainesville — Jax contract runs through 2021)

at Tennessee

Kentucky

Missouri

at Vanderbilt

South Carolina

2028

Non-conference opponents

Sept. 2 — at Texas

Sept. 16 — Florida State

TBA — Non-Power 5 opponent

Nov. 25 — Georgia Tech

SEC opponents

at Ole Miss* (projected rotation beyond official schedule through 2025)

Auburn

Florida (Jacksonville/Athens — Jax contract runs through 2021)

Tennessee

at Kentucky

at Missouri

Vanderbilt

at South Carolina

2029

Non-conference opponents

Sept. 1 — Texas

Sept. 15 at Clemson

TBA — Non-Power 5 opponent

Nov. 24 at Georgia Tech

SEC opponents

Mississippi State* (projected rotation beyond official schedule through 2025)

at Auburn

Florida (Jacksonville/Gainesville — Jax contract runs through 2023)

at Tennessee

Kentucky

Missouri

at Vanderbilt

South Carolina

2030

Non-conference opponents

Aug. 31 — Clemson

TBA — Non-Power 5 opponent

Nov. 30 — Georgia Tech

SEC opponents

at LSU* (projected rotation beyond official schedule through 2025)

Auburn

Florida (Jacksonville/Athens — Jax contract runs through 2023)

Tennessee

at Kentucky

at Missouri

Vanderbilt

at South Carolina