Is Georgia's 2024 Schedule Its Toughest Ever?
The 12-team College Football Playoff has put a big emphasis on strength of schedule but has also allowed for some forgiveness if your team doesn't arrive at the end of said schedule undefeated.
Leagues continue to add more and more teams, and schedules for those conference foes are getting tougher and tougher as pay-to-win games are being replaced with new conference games. Just take a look at Georgia's 2024 schedule.
Alabama linebacker Christopher Allen (4) tackles Georgia running back James Cook (4) for a loss during Alabama's 41-24 win over Georgia in Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020.
Gary Cosby Jr / USA TODAY NETWORK
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
Going off of Pat Forde's Way-Too-Early Top 25, Georgia will play five top-25 teams in 2024: No. 3 Texas, No. 5 Ole Miss, No. 8 Alabama, No. 13 Tennessee, No. 15 Clemson.
It wouldn't be the first time Georgia's played five top-25 teams in a regular season. In fact, they've done it five times in the last 20 years (2005, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016). So what makes this year's schedule so daunting? Road games.
Georgia will play at No. 8 Alabama, at No. 3 Texas, and at No. 5 Ole Miss (again, all of these rankings are potential) with a natural site opener against No. 15 Clemson. If those rankings hold true, this would be Georgia's most difficult schedule since 2009 when they opened the season with a loss on the road against No. 9 Oklahoma State, lost to No. 4 LSU at home, got trounced by No. 1 Florida in Jacksonville, and rallied for a win at No. 7 Georgia Tech to close out the season.
So, is this Georgia's toughest schedule ever? We won't be able to answer that question until after the season, but one thing is for sure: the difference between 2024's Georgia team and those listed above is marked. Kirby Smart's program is now the standard in the sport and the week on the schedule others fear. It's a tough slate for sure, but Georgia will have a Heisman Trophy hopeful at quarterback in Carson Beck and the best roster on the field regardless of which stadium they step into.
