There are so many uncertainties around the potential start for college football. It feels like an opportune time to look at some potential scenarios for the Georgia Bulldogs schedule. Granted, everything is hypothetical. But it is interesting to see what some of the potential layouts of the season could be. This is entirely disregarding what could be the most likely potential…no college football in 2020.
Georgia Potential Schedule Scenarios
No 2020 Football Scenario #1
The first possibility with a lack of football would be a total push back. It would be like what happened with the Olympics this Summer. The games scheduled for this season get pushed back to the 2021 season and there is just no football this fall. This is the most likely scenario if there is no college athletics happening. But would it really be pushed back? There are contracts for out of conference games next year. It would be inconceivable to some to just keep pushing those back, with this year’s games taking place in the Fall of 2021 instead. Entirely scrapping 2020 and moving on to next year’s schedule would mean the Dawgs would open with the marquee neutral site match-up against Clemson, and no one wants to see that get delayed.
No 2020 Football Scenario #2
The second most likely scenario when it comes to no Fall football would be the games being pushed back into the spring season. This could potentially lead to a shortened schedule. Spring sports start in February for the most part. And it would not seem like the NCAA would want to push the season into the summer, so the season would likely be trimmed down a bit. For Georgia, that would likely include scrapping the East Tennessee and Louisiana-Monroe games, as well as looking at getting rid of the Virginia opener.
2020 Schedule Scenario #1
One option would be having no change to the schedule. Twelve games with the same match-ups. If this happens, it is doubtful the Virginia game will still be a neutral site game. It will likely be moved to one team’s home stadium.
2020 Schedule Scenario #2
Option number two is the “Pac-12” option,” a ten game season contained within the conference. That would mean saying goodbye to Virginia, East Tennessee, Louisiana-Monroe, and Georgia Tech, while adding two more conference games. Home games would include Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Tennessee, while the road games would include Alabama, Missouri, South Carolina, and Kentucky. The next two cross-conference games on Georgia’s schedule are a home game against Arkansas in 2021 and a road game against Mississippi State in 2022. Moving those two up would be one way of filling in those final two slots.
2020 Schedule Scenario #3
Situation number three would be the “ACC option,” a ten game conference schedule plus one non-conference. So keep scenario two the same and then bring Georgia Tech to Sanford Stadium for another meeting of “Clean Old Fashioned Hate.” This might be a best case scenario for college football fans. With a shortened/delayed/cancelled season all very possible at this point, we can only hope to see Georgia face Georgia Tech for the ninety-fifth straight season.
Overall, the hope for 2020 is that we do see the student-athletes take the field. Sports often brings us together, and that is something we really need right now. More importantly, however, is the safety and health of the players. So if a reduced season length or delayed season is the best option, then so be it.
But right now, it is a game of wait and see, so it is always interesting to look at what some of the potential scenarios are for the potential football season.
