Attention Georgia fans, we interrupt the Transfer Portal, Signing Day Flips, bowl season, and Flordia State continuing to take their anger out on ESPN and the College Football Playoff committee to announce the 2024 SEC Schedule. The timing of the announcement is interesting. A lot is happening in college football, and discussing this might be more suitable for March or April when things are a bit less hectic. However, here we are. Despite the busy schedule, we thought organizing a road trip and highlighting the must-see home, away, and neutral site games for Georgia’s 2024 schedule would be fun. So grab your cooler, grill, and lucky t-shirt, and let’s go!
Between The Hedges
Options: Tennessee Tech, Auburn, Mississippi State, Tennessee, UMass, Georgia Tech
If you can only make it Between the Hedges for one game in 2024, the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry is your ticket. While the game is no longer in November, the late September matchup gives Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs its first real test in 2024. 2023 was a work in progress in Hugh Freeze’s return to the SEC. While Auburn can hang its hat on having key wins over Arkansas and going bowling again, losses to New Mexico State and the Grave Digger against Alabam left Tiger fans wanting more.
Auburn gave Georgia all they could handle in a hard-fought contest earlier this season. Brock Bowers proved to be the difference in the Georgia win. Bowers will likely be gone from Georgia, but it will be interesting to see how Freeze uses the portal and National Signing Day to continue to build and shape the Tiger’s roster in his likeness.
Road Game
Options: Kentucky, Alabama, Texas, Ole Miss
Georgia has only four actual road games in 2024. You cannot go wrong by picking three of the four (sorry, not sorry, Kentucky) options. Georgia may have quickly dispatched Ole Miss earlier this year, but Lane Kiffin has plenty of offensive talent returning and is cleaning up in the Transfer Portal again. Alabama will also be a great environment, but Georgia fans may have a little PTSD from this year’s SEC Championship game.
Texas checks all the boxes for a must-see road matchup in Georgia’s 2024 schedule. Steve Sarkisian has the Longhorns clicking at a high level in year three. They knocked off Alabama on the road, won the Big 12, and primed to make their mark in the College Football Playoff against Washington in the Sugar Bowl. Texas heads to the SEC in 2024 and will look to make its mark with Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning ready to lead the Longhorns. DK Royal Stadium is one of the great stadiums in college football and will be a welcome addition to a conference with many great additions. Fans can double dip in October by seeing Georgia and Texas play Saturday night and heading to the Circuit of Americas to watch the F1 race on Sunday. Oh, and did we mention the bar-b-q in Austin…
Neutral Site
Options: Clemons and Florida
Two neutral site games? Why does college football continue to think that playing in NFL stadiums is a good idea? This argument was made before, and the dollars and cents continue winning. Here is hoping they trade their cents for sense. Anyway, on to the games.
While we all love a good cocktail, we’re skipping Carson Beck’s farewell tour in Jacksonville in 2024. Florida may be in worse shape in 2024 than it was in 2023. Billy Napier continues to struggle to find consistency and wins in Gainesville; rumors of DJ Lagway‘s eyes might be wandering to College Station. If that happens, it would spell doom to the 2024 season before it even begins.
Now that Florida is out of the picture, our focus shifts to Clemson for an exciting matchup in the 2024 season opener at Mercedes Benz Stadium. This game marks the revival of a classic rivalry between the Bulldogs and the Tigers, separated by a mere 80 miles. Despite not meeting regularly, these two teams will face off five times in the next ten years, offering Georgia football fans plenty of thrilling moments.
These rivalry games aren’t just exciting for the fans but significant for college football and the SEC and ACC conferences. Beyond the pride and bragging rights at stake, these matchups will play a crucial role in determining final rankings, especially with the upcoming expansion of the college football playoff to 12 teams next season.
The Bulldogs and Tigers last squared off in 2021 to kick off the season in Charlotte. As Mercedes Benz Stadium continues to feel like a second home for Georgia, it sets the stage for an exhilarating start to what promises to be a fantastic 2024 season.
