The 2020 college football season will be a unique one across the country. From truncated schedules to a lack of inter-conference matchups, this year will certainly have its share of obstacles for the teams. What better way to get ready for this year than a preview of the 2020 Georgia Bulldogs football season.
Georgia loses their tune-up games against teams like East Tennessee State and Louisiana Monroe and replaces them with games against Arkansas and Mississippi State. Even with the tougher schedule, things layout nicely for the Bulldogs. Georgia has only one major road test this season. That is the game in Tuscaloosa against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Besides that, Georgia only goes on the road for Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and South Carolina. Those games are by no means cakewalks, but it certainly is not the toughest hand the Bulldogs could have been dealt.
Georgia Week-By-Week Season Preview
Week 1 – at Arkansas
This game should be a relatively easy win for the Bulldogs to start the season. Granted, there is no such thing as an easy win in the SEC. However, a team that is 1-23 in SEC play in the last three seasons is as easy as it will get. It will be interesting to watch Sam Pittman make his head coaching debut, as well as seeing Feleipe Franks make his Arkansas debut. Georgia will also have to avoid looking forward to the Auburn game before finishing the job against Arkansas.
Week 2 – vs Auburn
The first game of the season to take place at Sanford Stadium should be a doozy. Georgia comes off of as easy as an opener as they will get, while Auburn is coming off of a game against a solid Kentucky squad. “The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry” always provides intriguing on-field matchups, but this year should be especially special with it so early in the season. Georgia holds a slight edge in the all-time series and has won the last three meetings. The last time Auburn won was in 2017, before losing the SEC Championship a few weeks later to Georgia. This is one to highlight in bright red on your calendar for sure.
Week 3 – vs Tennessee
Georgia continues their homestead into week three with a game against the Tennessee Volunteers. These two always bring a little extra into this game. The biggest storyline to follow this year is whether or not former Georgia lineman Cade Mays will be making the start for the Volunteers. He has been approved by the NCAA but is awaiting NCAA approval to get into the game. Georgia holds a slight all-time lead and has won every meeting since 2016.
Week 4 – at Alabama
Easily the toughest game on Georgia’s 2020 schedule comes in week four. A road trip to Tuscaloosa is always a daunting task for any team. The one upside for Georgia this season is the lack of a home crowd. This takes away a huge asset for the Crimson Tide. Even without the crowd noise, it will still be a very tough game for Georgia. This will definitely have the attention of almost every college football fan in the nation. Looking at it historically, Alabama has a sizable edge in wins and has won the last five meetings including three conference championship games. The last time the game was played in Tuscaloosa was in 2007, which also happens to be the last time the Bulldogs knocked off the Tide.
Week 5 – at Kentucky
The Bulldogs continue their road trips with a visit to Lexington, Kentucky to face the Wildcats. While not on the same level as the Crimson Tide, this still is not an easy game for Georgia. Kentucky has been a steadily improving team for some time now. This game is wedged between two really tough matchups. It has all the makings of a trap game for the Bulldogs. If Georgia can keep their focus on the game in front of them, they should easily handle business. That is easier said than done, however.
Week 6 – Bye
Georgia gets a bye week on Halloween. This is a good spot for the off week for the Bulldogs. Coming off of two fairly rough road games, Georgia gets a chance to rest and focus on the next matchup, which is a big one.
Week 7 – vs Florida (in Jacksonville)
The Alabama game is a tough one for Georgia this year without a doubt, but it is not the most important. The November 7th game against the Florida Gators will decide who is playing in Atlanta a little more than a month later. The rest of the SEC East does seem to be improving, but they are not yet on par with the two giants of the division. Thus, this game will be huge for both team’s campaigns. This is the one game that every Florida and Georgia fan should have circled, underlined, and highlighted on their schedule.
Week 8 – at Missouri
For the fourth game in a row, Georgia will play away from home. This time, it is against the Missouri Tigers. Georgia is 7-1 against Missouri in the eight years that the Tigers have played SEC football. Missouri is not much of a threat to Georgia this season. The biggest issue with this game is that it comes on the heels of the Florida game. Once again, similar to the Kentucky game, Georgia will have to focus on the game in front of them and they should be okay.
Week 9 – vs Mississippi State
Georgia finally gets to play in front of a Sanford Stadium crowd again in week nine. The Bulldogs will play host to the other SEC Bulldogs as Mississippi State comes to town. The biggest storyline to watch here is the Mike Leach saga. Leach is in his first season in the SEC. This will be the first time that the Bulldogs get to play against Leach and his patented air-raid offense. It will definitely be an interesting game to keep an eye on, but Georgia should be able to handle business.
Week 10 – at South Carolina
Georgia is almost certainly circling this game on their schedule. South Carolina’s upset at Sanford Stadium last season is what kept Georgia out of the College Football Playoff. Georgia should be able to handle business in this game, but the same thing could have been said about the matchup last year. South Carolina is always a tricky game for Georgia, but it should be a game that Georgia is able to win easily.
Week 11 – vs Vanderbilt
Finally, Georgia closes out its season against the Vanderbilt Commodores. Vanderbilt has been among the bottom teams in the SEC for some time. Still, they always seem to be sneakily dangerous. Once again, Georgia should win this game easily, but just like South Carolina, Vanderbilt is a team that could sneak up on Georgia. The Bulldogs will have to stay dialed in to close the season.
Closing Thoughts
Overall, Georgia’s road to the SEC Championship Game and potentially the College Football Playoffs is not one that looks particularly tough this season. There are a few truly tough games and a handful of potential trap games, but if they stay focused on just the game in front of them, Georgia should finish the regular season and conference championship game with a single loss.
